What I Learned After Listening to Every Taylor Swift Album

For years, whenever Taylor Swift came up in conversation, my go-to response was, “I like her public persona, but her music isn’t really for me.” It was easy to say, but one day I realized something: I had never actually given her music a real chance. So, I decided to dive in headfirst and listen to all of her albums, chronologically, as they were released.

The journey started with her self-titled debut, and right away, I was surprised. I had always thought of Taylor Swift as a pop star, but her early albums are undeniably country. I’ve never been much of a country fan—though I do enjoy some Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. While Taylor’s early work had its charm, the themes of love and faith felt broad and vague, which makes sense given her widespread appeal. It didn’t resonate with me personally, but I could see the seeds of her future stardom.

As I moved forward in her discography, I noticed the gradual evolution in her sound. By the time I got to Red, Taylor was starting to leave her country roots behind, and 1989 marked a full transition into synth pop. Now, synth pop isn’t a genre I typically gravitate toward, but it was an improvement in my mind. The shift showed her willingness to experiment and reinvent herself, a quality I respect.

It wasn’t until Lover and beyond that I found genres I connected with more. Albums like folklore and evermore leaned into indie vibes, which are genres I often enjoy. But even here, I found myself underwhelmed by the lyrical content. The stories and themes felt shallow compared to what I’ve come to expect from indie music. Then, with Midnights, Taylor pivoted back to synth pop, and her latest album, Tales of the Tortured Poets, seemed to aim for a folk-inspired sound but didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

By the end of this musical journey, I realized I probably won’t be revisiting Taylor Swift’s discography. I prefer music that challenges me or dives deep into unique perspectives, and much of Taylor’s work seems designed for broad appeal. That’s not inherently a bad thing—it’s just not what I’m looking for. I’ll admit, though, my YouTube Music algorithm may never recover from this experiment!

That said, there were a few things I came to appreciate about Taylor Swift along the way. Her decision to re-record her earlier albums as Taylor’s Version to reclaim her music from the greedy hands of the industry? Badass. It’s rare to see an artist take such a bold and principled stand. And her talent—both as a songwriter and as a cultural icon—is undeniable. Another surprise? Just how much of her music I’d already heard in passing without realizing it. Taylor Swift has been a constant presence in the cultural background for over a decade, and my dive into her music underscored just how omnipresent her work is.

At the end of the day, I’m now informed when I say, “I like Taylor Swift the public persona, but her music isn’t really for me.” This journey helped me understand why her fans love her, and while I may not be joining the Swiftie ranks anytime soon, I respect the artistry and effort behind her incredible career.

Kirk Aug

Kirk is a writer, beekeeper and a fellow traveller on spaceship Earth. Follow Kirk on instagram @kirkaug

What is Wrong with the 76'ers?

The Philadelphia 76ers are a total mess. Let’s discuss.

Look, I had super high hopes for this team this season. I thought they had figured it out. I proclaimed them the winners of the offseason. Paul George felt like the perfect fit. They got the Martin twin on a great deal. Kyle Lowry was back. Joel Embiid seemed finally healthy going into the season. Tyrese Maxey got paid. Tobias Harris is gone. They have Nick Nurse, who is a very good coach. They seemed to have finally figured it out and they were going to compete for a title. Well, they have been nothing short of a disaster this season, to this point. They're 2-11, tied for the worst record in the NBA. I know it's early, but 2-11 is tough to climb out of, even early on.

Embiid has been more noteworthy for games missed than anything else. I know he also "swung" at a reporter, but I don't blame him for that. That reporter said some out of line comment regarding Embiid's family. But, the missed games, the lack of effort when he plays, the disregard for the team's success, it has been wild. The 76ers need him if they want to win big. He doesn't have to play all the time, but they need him for more than half the season. He is too integral and too important to not be on the court. Paul George has played less than Embiid it seems. He hyperextended his knee in the preseason, but that injury should have healed by now. He should be good to go. He should be firing on all cylinders, as it were. Tyrese Maxey is doing fine, but he is being asked to do far, far too much for his skill set. Maxey is supposed to be a lightning bolt offense guy. They need him to score and score in bunches. That is what he does best, but he has had to do way, way too much to this point. That is unfair to ask of him and his game is suffering for right now. The bench is nonexistent. The coaching staff is struggling. Kyle Lowry is looking old. The 76ers just don't seem to have what it takes.

I couldn't have been more wrong about this team. I assumed they would cruise through the regular season and easily be a top three seed in the East come playoff time. I thought Embiid playing a little less would help him in the long run. I figured George was going to walk right into 25 points per game and be the second defensive stopper they desperately need. And I assumed Maxey would continue to torch opposing defenses. None of that has happened. They look like a very, very bad team. They have some off court problems too. A big time bombshell of a report came out this afternoon saying that the team is in fighting. Maxey apparently called out Embiid. They have been going at it in practice. They have issues with Nick Nurse. There are far too many problems to even list here today. This is not a good look.

The 76ers are going to have to bring it the last 3/4 of the season. They have to show that they care. They have to prove doubters, myself now included, wrong. But this version of the team is going nowhere fast. At this rate they're going to be picking in the lottery and they will have a myriad of questions to answer this offseason. I don't know if it is going to get any better for them soon, but they need to or they are going to be looked at as the biggest embarrassment in the NBA this season. They can turn it around, but they have to start right now. They have wasted too much time and now it is biting them in the butt. Time to figure it out 76ers. No more time to goof off. Start winning games before you are out of the playoffs. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

Better Late Than Never on "Escape From New York"

When the pandemic started I made the decision to go back and watch a good amount of classic movies that I've missed over the years. I have made good headway, but there are a ton of movies considered classics, and I've only made a small dent on my list. I've kept up as best I can, and this weekend it was my turn to pick the movie for date night. One movie I have been circling for quite a long time was "Escape From New York". I have become a big John Carpenter fan since the pandemic, and the "Escape From" movies are some I have missed. Well, that was remedied this weekend by us watching "Escape From New York".

I have to say right off the bat, I loved this movie. Every second of it was exactly what I wanted out of an action movie. "Escape From New York" takes place in the futuristic world of 1997. I love this about older movies as well, seeing what the actors, writers and directors all predicted what the future would be like. It's pretty wonderful. The island of Manhattan has become a prison, and all criminals have inhabited certain areas of it and are living horrific lives. Kurt Russell plays Snake Plissken. Plissken is one of the coolest characters that has ever existed. He's mean, gruff, angry all the time and has a certain set of skills. He is 1981's version of Liam Neeson from "Taken". Plissken needs to save the president who has been kidnapped, and we go along on the ride with him for 90 plus minutes. I can see why Russell was considered such a big star back in the early 80's. He is good looking. He has this rough side to him. He speaks the coolest of anyone I've ever heard on film. He carries himself like the movie star he was/is. I was glued to the screen every second he was on camera, which is the majority of the movie. He was exceptional. I could tell how much he loved this role and this movie. It showed on my tv. There are other actors in this movie that are doing some nice work, Romero comes to mind, but none did what Russell did while he was on screen.

I also love the way Carpenter directs this, and all of his movies, for that matter. He makes action and scary movies, but he lets you live in the world they have created. It's not non-stop action. There's not the constant threat of a jump scare coming at any moment. Carpenter builds the world within the movie. He lets us get to know the characters. We find reasons to root for or against them. He tells a story with his direction. They don't make action movies like that anymore. No one wants to sit and figure stuff out. We just want it fed to us like babies. Carpenter didn't do that. He wanted the viewer to figure things out for themselves, and I appreciate that. He's telling a story, but he lets us figure things out on our own. I miss action movies like that.

All in all, "Escape From New York" is instantly one of my favorite movies. I loved every single second of this movie. I loved the performances, mainly Russell'. I want more directors to take a page from Carpenter's work and build the world and story. I highly recommend this movie if you haven't seen it yet. It is one of the better movies that has been made. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Webanyama is Already Must Watch Basketball

Victor Webanyama had his first career 50 point game last night. This is the first of very many to come for him. I have been kind of waiting for this to happen. Let’s discuss.

Webanyama is one of my favorite players. I grew attached during the draft process last year. I watched as many of his games as a rookie as I could. I watched him almost single handily beat Team USA in the summer Olympics this year. All of this made me like him even more. The guy is an enigma on the court in all the right ways. Someone that big isn’t supposed to be able to do the things he does. I’m a 90’s NBA kid. I grew up watching and loving Charles Barkley and Shawn Kemp. I was all in on Shaq. Yao Ming was an incredible flash of light during his shortened career. The big men I watched with awe were all overpowering and lumbering. Shaq dunked all over dudes. Barkley used wit and quickness to excel. Yao Ming was humongous. Shawn Kemp was wildly athletic and a thunderous dunker. They all went hard and went hard all the time. They had one or two moves and perfected them. Wemby is so much more athletic and talented than any of them for a guy his size. This is no shade to any of the guys I mentioned either. All of those dudes are some of my all time favorite players. But I think even they’d admit that Wemby is an athletic anomaly. He’s 7’4. He brings the ball up the court. He’s skinny, but he is a long rim defender. Go look and see what he just did to Domantas Sabonis recently. He is an excellent cutter and passer. Offense can run through him in the paint and at the top of the key. He can dunk on you or he can pull you out to the three point line. Case in point, during his 50 point game, he hit eight threes. Again, he’s a 7’4 center! That’s wild that he can do that. He’s a bigger Kevin Durant. He’s a faster Steven Adams. He’s a better shooter than Kristaps Porzongis. He’s more malleable on defense than Jaren Jackson Jr. He’s a cutter than Russell Westbrook. And when he figures out passing angles even better, his greatness will be harnessed even more. There’s never been anyone like Wembanyama. What he’s doing at his size and age has never been seen before. LeBron made it cool for a power forward to play point guard. Zion made it cool for a thick guy to run the offense. Jokic has stat nerds cumming in their jeans on a daily basis. Webanyama is taller and younger than all of them. He’s just scratching the surface of his greatness. Stars are going to want to play with him. Greg Poppovich is going to stick around longer, get better soon by the way, just to help shepherd him into being the face of the NBA.  And this is just the first of major achievements this star is going to make.

I implore all of you to watch this kid play basketball any chance you can. It’s amazing to see him play and watch him do the incredible things he does at a player his size. Wemby is must watch TV.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

An Ode to Coffee Cake

I have written about trigger foods on the site before. We all have them. Some of us have multiple trigger foods. I have an odd relationship with food. I love it. Well, most of it. I don’t like the texture of coconut, olives are too briny, artichokes taste weird to me and I’m not the biggest fan of deep dish pizza. That’s about it for me, and to be real, I’d eat deep dish pizza if it’s the only option. The other foods I just mentioned, not for me. But I have way more trigger foods than foods I dislike. Let’s discuss.

Donuts are dangerous to have in my home. I am unable to keep Cinnamon Toast Crunch any longer than a few days. I’ll eat ice cream until I feel sick. I love Lil Debbie Treats. Do you all see the common denominator in these foods? They’re all sweet, and two of them are breakfast foods. Well, I’ve found another food that I may not be able to buy on a regular basis anymore, and it’s a breakfast food.

My daughter recently asked for coffee cake for breakfast. I thought, at the time, I like coffee cake, but I’m not going to over indulge. I was dead wrong. I bought some for her from Aldi two weeks ago. It was their off brand coffee cake. She had a few little pieces, they’re individually wrapped, and she told me they tasted pretty good. I decided to try some, and damn were they delicious. I was stoked at how good it tasted. But, further research was needed by me. My dad and I go to coffee shops together all the time, and most of these shops have bakeries within them. Coffee cake is a pretty common option. I’ve tried some different coffee cakes from different shops, and they’re all fantastic. And they’re all pretty much the same. The ingredients don’t really change. Some are bigger than others, but that’s about the only difference. I have eaten a good amount of coffee cake recently. Too much one would say. But it wasn’t until last night that I realized I had a problem with this particular food. I was making myself a rice cake with peanut butter as a post dinner treat. While getting the stuff to make this, I noticed the coffee cake in the pantry. I figured, I went for a run so I can treat myself. Well, I ate two whole pieces in under a minute and was instantly ashamed of myself. That was not needed. But the taste took me back. I didn’t need that second piece, but I still ate it. I have to imagine it’s the cinnamon and sugar that I crave. It’s such a great combo and it works. The sweetness is just perfect.

I do have to find a balance with this food. I cannot continue to eat it as much as I have recently. Something has got to change. But damn coffee cake is delicious. It’s one of the better sweet breakfast options and I’ll hear no slander thrown its way. I need to control myself, but coffee cake is an upper tier sweet treat. There’s no doubt about it.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Calm Down (Online) Michigan Fans

Michigan football is struggling. There's no denying it. And there is plenty of blame to go around. Let’s discuss.

The QB situation has been an absolute mess. I guess the coaching staff figured they could work with what they had already on roster. It hasn't worked at all. The o-line, a strength in years past, has been underwhelming. They have had moments, but they have wildly underperformed all season. The receiving corps has been non essential. They don't get many targets and they are not the best blockers. The running backs have been okay, just relied on far too often, and the tight end group has been the lone bright spot on this horrid offense. The defense has been up and down. The secondary is bad. They have performed poorly all season long. Will Johnson is still hurt, Zeke Berry has had glimpses, but for the most part he gets beat far too often, Jayire Hill is hurt and gets beat too much and the safeties are nowhere near the level of the play they've had the past three seasons. The linebacking corps is okay, but very bad in coverage. And the d-line isn't generating pressure hardly at all. I will say the defense is better than people online have given them credit for this season though. They're on the field so much and guys are constantly tired. That would halt any defense in college football. And the new coaching staff is having a hard time with the promotion. Sherrone Moore is struggling. Wink Martindale thinks he's coaching NFL players. Kirk Campbell cannot get out of his own way. The lone star from this new staff, in my opinion, has been Lamar Morgan, and that is mostly due to his excellent recruiting acumen. This season has been a mess.

But, for all of the people that want this staff gone or want immediate changes or think they can do better, I need you all to calm the hell down. What did you really, truly expect? When this season started I thought they could win 9 or 10 games. I thought they could remain in the playoff picture. I figured they'd be solid. They had some guys returning that gave me hope. But, that was the optimistic side of my brain. At best they're going to be 6-6 this year and they are going to get stomped in their regular season finale. It's going to be rough. But again, what did you all expect? I don't get the people online, the keyboard warriors who are going on the internet before, during and after each game and saying how everyone needs to go. How they'd do so much better. That so and so should be playing because they're better. It's nonsense. And you have to give Moore more time. He inherited a team that saw a bunch of players and coaches leave the program for the NFL. They needed to replace almost their entire o-line. They needed a new QB. They needed a new number one, reliable running back. They have a whole new linebacking corps. Their best defensive player in the secondary has only played four full games. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant are being double and triple teamed constantly.

It needs to be said this coaching staff is pretty much all new. Moore got promoted top head coach. Campbell went from QB coach to offensive coordinator. Ron Bellamy is still the wideout coach, and that's it. The rest of the staff is all new. They have a new strength coach, new linebacker and secondary coach. They have a new special teams coach. They have a new tight ends coach. It's all new. And that means they need time. They have to be able to recruit and develop the talent for their system. They have to be given a fair shot, a real chance at coaching this team. I have always been a believer of giving new coaches three seasons before making a decision on the future of the head coach. Moore has had four chances last season and 10 games so far this year. He is 9-5 as a head coach right now. Yes, there have been blundres and issues. Moore has made some odd decisions late in games this year. I'm still confused as to why he waited so long to call his first timeout last week. But I look at these as lessons. He is figuring all this out in real time. And while it looks bad now, I think he's going to learn from all of this and get better with each new season. There's a reason he was looked at as the predecessor to Harbaugh. Moore was going to be a hot commodity on the coaching market sooner rather than later. I'm stoked that Michigan hired him. He was, and I believe still is, the right man for the job.

Everyone wants instant gratification and if they don't get it, they think they can do better than the people most qualified for the job. I just want people online to give Moore a fair shot. I want them to let him recruit and coach his players to his system. Yes it is bad now, but they can get better from here. These kids love playing for Moore and I think with a little more time, one more full season under his belt, Moore will find his groove. We fans just have to believe in his ability. Give the man a real chance. 

Ty

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

JJ Redick is Not Ready for This

JJ Redick stormed out of a press conference last night. He did this after throwing the entirety of the Lakers players who played last night under the bus, with the exception being LeBron James. I read that what made him leave was a journalist asking if the team is poorly conditioned, a pretty common question for coaches nowadays. Him storming out says a whole lot to me.

JJ Redick has thin skin. He has never really been challenged in his life. He walked through his NBA life as a role player. He was hated by many when he was playing at Duke, but he was playing basketball at Duke, he didn't have much to worry about. And when he was broadcasting he was fine. He never blew me away as a play by play guy, but he was fine. But now, when he is the head coach of the biggest brand in all of the NBA, he is going to have to field questions much worse than the conditioning of his team. Will he walk out of every press conference if he doesn't like what reporters are asking him? I hope not because that would be an even worse look. He is eight games into his first season as a head coach and he is already bailing out of press conferences, over explaining how he "earned" this job, acting like he is the cream of the crop on podcast appearances. Basically, he is in over his head.

I get it. I'm watching a first year head coach for Michigan football, and he is having a tough time transitioning to being the head guy. But Sherrone Moore hasn't left a press conference. He isn't showing up and trying to justify how he earned his job. He is out there recruiting every day and night. He is struggling now, but I have faith in him. JJ Redick though, I never had faith in him. And this action just makes me even more sure that he is not fit to be a head coach for a high school basketball team, let alone the Lakers.

What made this even worse for me as a viewer though was how he talked about his players not named LeBron James. That is a bad, bad look. Guys on this team aren't going to simply take that from JJ Redick. He hasn't earned that yet. Not even close. Again, he is doing this eight games into the season. That's bad news. D'Angelo Russell is already fed up with him as a head coach. I'm sure Gabe Vincent wasn't too keen on being name dropped as to why he played Russell so few minutes. I have to imagine both Dalton Knecht and Bronny James are stunned to hear their names come up since they're rookies. He didn't say anything about Anthony Davis or Rui Hachuimura, but that is because they were out last night. Austin Reaves probably never heard his name bandied about like that the last two seasons. Him doing that, and leaving LeBron out of it, makes me think that he only got this job because of his friendship with LeBron. And if he would just come out and admit that I'd have no problem with it. That is how some things get done in pro sports. Jalen Brunson's dad is only an assistant because the Knicks wanted his kid to play for them. That happens in college with recruiting all the time. People hire family members or friends to appease star players. It's a fact of life. LeBron also didn't deserve hate for last night's game. He came to play. But to be so blatant about it, to act like the dad of the team to everyone but LeBron shows favoritism and someone with a lack of how to deal with a locker room and pro athletes.

The Lakers have all the time in the world to right the ship. They're 4-4 right now. They have 72 more games to show what type of team they can be. But getting beat by the Pistons one night, then getting the doors blown off by the Grizzlies the next night, and having a coach act like a petulant child afterwards, that is a bad, bad look for a team that is only going to be even more scrutinized going ahead. JJ Redick needs to look in the mirror and stop acting like an old school head coach that has earned the respect of pro players. He has not, and if he continues to play this type of game with the media, he will be looking for a head coaching job somewhere else sooner than he'd like. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

What the Hell

How did we end up here again? I don't get it. I'm appalled. I was appalled when I saw the news last night. I was stunned reading the early calls for states. I just, I am just so very, very gutted.

This is the worst. This was my absolute worst nightmare of an outcome to this election. I cannot and do not want to accept it. I can't. I don't understand how he won. I am as confused, maybe even moreso, than I was in 2016. I have been walking around in a kind of stupor all day. I simply cannot believe that some people wanted this again. This is awful. The next president is a criminal. He is a racist. He is a rapist. He is a womanizer. He is a serial cheater. He has been married three times, that we know of. He was openly fellating a microphone just the other day. He is old as dirt. He has shown signs of brain failure. He is a disaster. And somehow he managed to win this election.

I'm scared. I don't know what is going to happen starting in 2025 when he and his cronies take over office. This is dystopian. This is like the opening scene of an apocalyptic movie or show. We are in the darkness now. America had a chance and we blew it. We didn't just blow it, we fumbled and kicked it and screwed everyone in the process. America is going to be the laughing stock when all the countries meet. We are now officially a joke. No other country will take us seriously ever again. America will gain far more enemies than allies under this "administration". I'm worried about medicine and schools. You know there's going to be anti vaxxers and book banners on that staff. They're going to try and whitewash everything they can and that is worrisome. They won't ever bring up January 6th. Also, how does that horrific coup not ban this monster from office? I'll never know that and that will haunt me. People either don't care or simply forgot about that horrible day. That was one of the worst days in the history of our country, and that crook is back in office in a few months. The Christian right should shoulder a good amount of the blame for this. They picked this guy, this rapist, racist, philanderer, because he claims to be pro life. He's not, and I would bet a good large sum of money that he has paid for multiple abortions.

What worries me most is my kids in the future. They're going to have to dig us out of this massive hole that is about to happen. My kids are young, so they will bear the brunt. I also want my kids to learn about everything in school, not just what racist white men want them to learn. I want them to have real medical access. I want them to get the care they deserve. They're going to have to make that happen in the future, but it's going to be hard and it's going to take a long, long time. I also want them to know that this is not okay. That what that dictator says is not true. That he is a liar and a cheat. He is a failed businessman. He's a silver spoon kid. He never had to work to get to where he is today. My kids will know that that is not the way to live. They will be accepting, they will be allies, they will be prepared to speak up for themselves, they will be ready for anything that comes their way, unlike the monsters going back to office in 2025. This, I promise you all.

I'm gutted, upset, annoyed, scared and disgusted by what America has become. I'm ashamed to call myself an American today. A woman can be a leader. Damn that some don't accept that in 2024. This is bad and it is only going to get worse. It is a shameful, shameful day to be an American. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

The Detroit Lions are a Damn Good Football Team

Yesterday I made sure to get everything done that needed to be done so I could sit down and really watch the Packers-Lions game. This was the big game of the week. These two teams have looked pretty damn good this season. They have both looked like the class of the NFC. It's kind of wild that they're in the same division, along with Minnesota and Chicago, all of which are at or over .500 right now. This is the best division in the NFL by a mile. The game between the Lions and Packers looked like it could be a good one. Add on the fact that it was raining, this had the makings to be solid.

Well, it wasn't. Green Bay looked slow and disorganized. They couldn't get off the field. They couldn't stop anything the Lions were doing. Their offense was inept and not productive. It was a mess. Sure, they made it closer than it should have been at the end, but that was a garbage time TD. And I'm not here for moral victories or to say that they weren't blown out. Green Bay was outplayed and deservingly got beat.

The Lions on the other hand, they look real, real good. They played a wonderful game and proved that they can go anywhere and beat anyone. They kept saying during the broadcast that this was their first game outside a dome. That didn't seem to matter. They looked damn good. They did whatever they wanted. They made everything they were able to do look easy. Jared Goff controlled Green Bay's secondary. He was slicing and dicing them with ease. He seemed to have a receiver open at all times. Where Green Bay receivers were dropping passes left and right, Detroit's wideouts caught everything. Detroit's o-line mashed and smashed Green Bay's d-line all afternoon. They supplied wonderful pass protection. They're the best o-line in the NFL, and they showed that yesterday. David Montgomery ran up and down the field. He would find a hole, cruise through it and pick up 4,5 or 6 yards a pop. Jahmyr Gibbs did the same and added pass catching out of the backfield. He looked so much faster than any defender Green Bay put on him yesterday. Detroit's defense was down two guys, Aidan Hutchinson to season ending surgery and Brian Branch on a very questionable targeting call, and they still dominated. Green Bay's offense has been decent as of late, especially the run game. And while Josh Jacobs got off a big run one time, he was pretty much kept in check, as was the rest of the backfield. The wideouts struggled to hold onto the ball, they couldn't get seperation and Detroit locked them down with relative ease. Detroit still dominated defensively even without their two best players on that side of the ball. What I noticed most yesterday was how good Detroit looks. There wasn't a moment where I thought Green Bay could come back or take control of the game, and they're the team I root for. Detroit looked so much better than Green Bay, and the rest of the NFL for that matter.

Where we stand right now, Detroit is the class of the NFL. They have competition, the Chiefs are undefeated, but in my mind the Lions look like a better team. They can play anyone, anywhere at any time. They have built an incredibly good football team. Everyone knows their roles and plays them exceptionally well. The coaching is second only to Kansas City, and I would take the entire Detroit Lions staff over the Chiefs, minus Andy Reid. Detroit should be considered the favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl right now. And I'd say they're the favorite to win it all this season. They left a damn good impression on me, and they only appear to be getting better. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Comedy Bang! Bang! and Nick Wiger Drop an Instant Classic Halloween Episode

This week on “Comedy Bang! Bang!”, the crew returned to Hell House. They haven’t done a Hell House episode in a while. I think it’s been almost three years. Let’s discuss.

For those that know, they know. For the rest, Hell House is the “CBB” version of a Halloween episode. I am a fan of these. I missed it when they went on hiatus or just decided to stop doing them for a bit. So, when I saw the guest list and title, I was pumped. The episode delivered on every level, but what put it over the top was Nick Wiger’s appearance. I’m a Nick Wiger fan. I enjoy “Doughboys”, one of his other podcasts he hosts. I like his comedy writing. I enjoy most of the shows he’s written for. He’s a funny dude. Seeing him on “CBB” this week had me even more excited. Wiger is known for a lot of things in the comedy world, but I’d venture to say that him playing Leo Karpatze is one of his most loved roles. Leo Karpatze is the original writer of “The Monster Mash”. But, his version is much, much filthier. Actually, the title that Wiger came up with as Karpatze is “The Monster F&$!”. You can use context clues to figure out his title. This song is filthy. It seems to get filthier with each appearance. And it continues to be hilarious. But, when Wiger was introduced he had a new character he was playing. He was Saintanic Karpatze. Hilarious word play if you ask me. I was stunned at first, but heard the last name. All was well. As this new character, Wiger made up a story about how his great Uncle, Leo Karpatze, had passed. He was close with him and actually had a recording of his great Uncle’s last ever recording. Scott Aukerman was understandably annoyed. He kept saying that it was going to be the “Monster F”. He knew it. This is the bit. Wiger as Karpatze claims to have a new song, but the only difference is the add on during the chorus. They’ve done this every time, and I love it every time. When Wiger convinced Aukerman to play the recording, it was indeed the “Monster F”. Aukerman was laughing while also berating Wiger as his new character. What makes this so great, while I love it so very much, is how hard Wiger goes at it while singing the song. He has a bit and he knows it’s going to crush, so he really goes for it and goes for it hard. He sings his heart out. You can hear his face contorting. I love how loud he gets. The louder the song gets, the more I laugh. It’s a comedic thing of beauty.

I highly recommend people check out any one of Wiger’s appearances as Karpatze on “CBB”. It’s so funny and so worth a listen.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Ty Watches "The Substance"

I watched "The Substance" yesterday. This movie came on my radar a month or so ago and I have wanted to watch it ever since. I was going to rent it on Amazon when it was in the theaters, but it was far too expensive. But, yesterday I was able to watch it online for free. I made sure to set aside my afternoon so I could really focus. From what I had read prior, this is a movie that needs your full attention. So I sat down and sat back, ready for the ride.

I want to say right at the top, I liked this movie. I never found it boring or slow. There seemed to be something that kept my attention at all times. For a movie that clocks in at around two hours and twenty minutes, it never drags. This movie will hold your eyes and the story will keep you coming back for more. "The Substance" is about a fading movie star that hears about a drug that can make a younger, better version of yourself. That's the long and short of it. Demi Moore plays the aging star, Elisabeth Sparkle. She is removed from her job and she is trying to find meaning in her new life. She decides to use the substance, and this is where Sue, Margaret Qualley, comes into play. This is the younger version of Elisabeth. This version is primed and ready for stardom and will do almost anything to continue her rise to fame. Again, this is the short version because I don't want to spoil anything today.

Moore is fantastic in this movie. I have seen her in stuff before, and have always thought she was a fine actor. She does good with the roles she's given and has earned her fame. In this movie, this may be her best work in my opinion, as well as a lot of other people. She does some amazing things in this movie. She also really goes for it. She holds nothing back and she is more than willing to play a fading star. It feels like a perfect role for her because she can relate, not that she is fading at all. Demi Moore is still one of the most beautiful people I have ever seen on screen. And she acts the absolute hell out of this role. She better damn well get awards consideration. Qualley does some damn fine work as well. She is so good at playing the younger version. She is on her game and really shines. I've seen her in other movies, but this is a real co-starring role here. She is up to the task and is right there step for step with Moore. It's kind of rad to see these two acting opposite each other. They both do some wonderful work.

Now, and this isn't a spoiler at all, this is a full on body horror movie. Some of the stuff I saw made me cover my eyes and made my stomach turn. They hold nothing back. You see it all and they hold on shots for a real long time. Even when people are eating or putting makeup on or showering, they hold onto shots for an uncomfortably long amount of time. That is by design. The writer, producer and director, Collie Fargeat, has said that she is a Cronenberg fan and that "The Fly" was a big influence on her. That comes across tenfold in "The Substance".

As I said at the top, I like this movie. I've been thinking about it all day today. But this movie is not for the faint of heart. There are some wild twists and turns. There's some real disturbing images. And they don't shy away from any of it all. Watch this movie if you're curious and you want to see Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore go blow for blow in the acting category. They're more than worth the watch. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Ty Watches "The Penguin"

Last week RD texted and asked if I had seen "The Penguin" yet. I told him I had not, but I wanted to. He said the first episode was pretty epic, and I trust his opinion on things like this, so I decided that I was going to watch it that day.

I'm glad RD told me about this because this show is pretty damn great. I saw "The Batman", where this version of The Penguin was first featured, but he was barely in the movie. And that is a long, long movie. So, when it was announced that they were going to do a series featuring this version of The Penguin, I was interested. I feel that, when given the proper material, Colin Farrell can do some great work. That is happening here for sure. Farrell is excellent in this show. He is also unrecognizable. The makeup people are doing a bang up job. Farrell has been transformed into what I have always envisioned this villain to like. He has messed up teeth, with some gold teeth peppered in there. His limp is due to a foot injury and him having to wear a brace. He over dresses. He tries too hard on his look. They nailed it. Farrell also makes this version sound like a true New York crime boss. He has the accent down to a T. He sounds and acts like a true New Yorker, or at least tv and movie versions of New Yorkers.

Farrell is not alone here on the show. Cristin Milioti is playing a new villain, at least to me, Sofia Falcone/Gigante. She is tough. She takes no prisoners. The episode when we see her backstory, how she got to where she is in today's version of the show, her performance should be studied in acting classes. This is a masterclass. I'd be shocked if she doesn't get award consideration for this performance alone. But, she continues to shine with each passing episode. She terrifies me. But I also cannot look away from what her character is doing on the show. I'm also enjoying Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar. His role could have been cliched. He could have been a typical kid that, due to dumb luck, found himself working for The Penguin. But he adds layers to his portrayal. He has past issues that haunt him. He has personal stuff that he hasn't fully dealt with in his life. He ended up working for Oz by pure happenstance. but what they have done so far with him has been pretty damn great. These three really bring this whole show to life.

And, if you are reading this thinking it's just another superhero show, think again. I thought that for a second, but after watching the first episode, that's not the case. I'm almost caught up on the show, and to this point, this is a crime show that happens to have characters that share names with comic book people. This is as hardcore as "The Godfather" or "Goodfellas". This is akin to gangster movies that my mom watches and that I have come around on big time since I was a kid. I never think about this as a DC show or a superhero/super villain show. The only time that comes to mind is when they flash the DC logo after each episode. This is not that. This is a hard crime drama that also happens to be incredibly violent.

"The Penguin" is a very good show that has gotten better, for me, with each passing episode. I highly recommend checking it out. It's good stuff. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

"Total Recall" (The Original) is Still a Great Movie

Recently I rewatched the original "Total Recall". I hadn't seen this movie since I was in my early 20's. I remember liking it then, but it had been awhile. I found it on Amazon and decided that last week was a perfect time to revisit the movie.

As I sat back, I kind of forgot most of the plot and the movie. But, in this rewatch, I was stoked at how much I still love the movie and how it still holds up. I was all in. When the movie started it all flooded back to me. Every little plot point and big scene came to the forefront of my mind. I could remember where I was when I first watched the movie and I was just as happy this time around. This is when Arnold Schwarzenegger was at his biggest point of stardom. He could do no wrong in the action movie genre. He was a heavy hitter and he barely had to act. He just had to emote, beat some bad guys and flex his muscles. "Total Recall" was a perfect movie for him to star in at that time in his acting life. Sharon Stone wasn't in it much, but she was great as well. But, this is all about Schwarzenegger. He did some great things in this movie. The action sequences were wonderful. The ending fight scene was pretty epic and awesome. He also had very good chemistry with both of the female leads. He also seemed to be having a good time during filming of this movie. When he got to do the scene where he was talking to his past self on the computer, that was pretty ahead of its time and executed very well.

This was also the time that Paul Verhoven was in his bag. He was crushing the ultra violent ultra intense action movie. There was no one better than Verhoven at doing this. To have the ability to make both "Robocop" and "Total Recall" in a short period of time, that is the work of a true professional.

I did managed to watch some of the updated remake they did, and it is not even close to the original. The newer one is dark and dreary. They take themselves too seriously. They aren't having the same amount of fun that the original movie had to its credit. It's just not the same. They didn't need to remake or update the original because the original is a classic. That was proven tenfold to me on this revisit.

I think a bunch of people are going back and watching old movies from their childhood because we are sentimental, but there's something unique and different and fun about the original action movies from the 80's and the 90's. They're campy and fun. They don't take it seriously. They understand how absurd these movies can be, and they just go for it. That's cool to me. I like that they were willing to have fun and enjoy themselves. Graphics are too good now. CGI is fully taking over movies, which is a bummer. And everyone wants to be brooding and moody in movies now. Actors, and I don't blame them, want awards. Not too many actors like to have fun and have a good time making action movies now, save for Keanu Reeves.

I definitely recommend going back and rewatching the original "Total Recall". It's from a forgotten time in Hollywood and it is a nice blast from the past when doing a rewatch. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Ty Listens to "Chromakopia"

Tyler, the Creator's eight studio album, "Chromakopia", was released at 6am this morning. I waited until 10am to listen to it. My daughter had a doctor's appointment this morning, and since she was a little nervous, I let her pick the music, which was Taylor Swift of course, whom I adore. But after I dropped her off at school it was my time to shine. I was by myself, so that let me really listen to the record with zero distractions, which I prefer when new music from an artist I love is released. I had also listened to "Noid" since he released that a little early. I love that track, so I was all keyed up to hear what else he was going to give us.

I'm here to say that this record is amazing. Tyler, the Creator has a knack for music, and he is one of the best out there with his craft right now. He continues to grow with each new release. He seemingly gets better and better while still maintaining his super unique, super cool rap voice. I love how gruff and grimy it sounds. But make no mistake, he has grown up and matured. He isn't the same guy from Odd Future. He is his own person now, and he more than shows that on "Chromakopia". This record is one solid song after the next. There's straight up hip hop, there's pop, there's R&B, he kind of gives the listeners a few different genres to chew on, which I love. I also appreciate how each song flows right into the next song. There's no long pauses in between the tracks. When one song ends, it feels like the ending of said song has a line or lyric that gets you in the right headspace for what is coming next. I like when records move at that type of pace. And this isn't a quick 10 song, 30 minute record. The album is almost an hour long, clocking in at 53 minutes with 14 songs. And, as I said before, there's not one on the listing that is worth a skip. You need to hear them all when you turn on this album. There's a clear theme, which is Tyler, the Creator dealing with his newfound stardom and massive fame. Make no mistake, he is a massive, massive artist. He sells out arenas now. He is going on a world tour to support this record, and I wouldn't be shocked if shows sell out in record time. This record kind of gives the listener a glimpse into how he feels and how he is dealing with all of this. I like when artists talk about real life stuff like that. I don't know what it is like to be famous. I've never been asked for an autograph or been tailed on the street so someone can meet me. I don't have bodyguards. I can go places with freedom. Some people, like Tyler, the Creator, don't have that luxury. And on "Chromakopia", he lets us know how bizarre that is. He lets us know how messed up it can be when a person is obsessed with you. He really lays bare each and every feeling he has toward his fame and stardom and I love this record for that. I also love the beats, the lyrics and the way they are put across throughout the album. So far my favorite track is "Sticky". I also really enjoy "Rah Tah Tah". And "Noid" is a bonafide hit. I wish he were coming closer, or even to Saint Louis on this tour because I'd love to see him perform these tracks live.

Tyler, the Creator is on fire right now. He has been on fire for a good long while now and I don't see him slowing down one bit. Go listen to "Chromakopia". It is another in a long line of stellar records from Tyler, the Creator. He is a master at his craft. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

A Meat Eaters Adventure at a Vegan Deli

I am a meat eater. I always have been. I know the problems that come with meat, how it is made, where it comes from, all kinds of problems. But I like it. I have always liked it. I have never wanted to be vegetarian. And I have no problem with anyone that decides they want to be vegetarian or vegan. We can make those choices.

When I do get annoyed is when a non meat eater tells me why I'm wrong for eating meat. I don't need to be talked at about my problems. Let me deal with that on my own. My buddy is a vegetarian, but he has never talked down to me about eating meat. He doesn't care that I eat meat, I don't care that he doesn't. It's no big deal. Lately he was telling me a lot about a new vegan sandwich shop in STL that he really likes called Vegan Deli and Butcher. And he wasn't telling me about this place to say stuff like, "see vegans can eat good food too", he just liked the place, we hang out a lot and we tell each other about cool spots that one of us may not know about. So, I have heard a lot about this place, and it piqued my interest. He told me he has become cool with one of the owners, so it's even easier for him to go there. He's comfortable there. Last weekend while I was out of town he watched my dog. He wouldn't take money, so I told him I would take him out to lunch, his choice. He cashed in his earnings yesterday and he took me to Vegan Deli and Butcher.

I was amped. He has said nothing but good things, the restaurant is getting rave reviews and my curiosity has only grown since first hearing about this place. When we walked in I was already pumped to try it. The space is cool. There were a few high tables, a few tables with benches and a couple regular tables with two seats. We ordered at the counter and we were able to see our sandwiches being made. Everything appears to be made to order when you eat in the shop. I ordered the philly cheesesteak and my buddy got the Maine lobster roll. We each ordered a drink, and the drink fridge was great. They had Faygo soda, San Pelligrino and Diet Arnold Palmer bottles. I was stoked at this. I'm a fan of places that have different drinks from the norm. My buddy got a Faygo and I had a San Pelligrino. I love it. Then our sandwiches came out, each garnished with a delicious pickle. My cheesesteak was excellent. I don't know what kind of plant based meat they used for it, but it was damn delicious. It tasted like the thin steak that is synonymous with cheesesteaks. The spices were damn near perfect. The veggies, onions and green peppers, were super fresh. That adds so much to a sandwich, when you get good quality produce like that. It was perfect. My favorite part of the sandwich was the cheese sauce. I don't know how they did it, but it tasted just like cheese whiz. It was exactly what I wanted the cheese to taste like on a sandwich like this. And the bread, man, was it tasty and filling. You get a giant hoagie roll that is crusty on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. It was perfect. My buddy said the lobster roll was good too. I didn't get a full look at it, but he said he thought the lobster was artichokes, and that they seasoned it exactly how he remembered seafood tasting. This food was great. It did the job of tricking my meat eating brain into thinking it was real meat. My buddy told me he has had half the menu and he has enjoyed each item, He bought a couple of frozen pizzas to bring home. The food wasn't overly expensive, and for the quality, I'd pay more if asked. I will for sure go back and try other sandwiches.

Vegan Deli and Butcher is a homerun sandwich shop, and if you are from STL or visiting STL, go check it out. It is worth the trip. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

This is Not Last Year's Michigan Football Team

Last weekend I went to my first Michigan football game since 2019. My dad and I used to go to one game a year, but then COVID hit. We have contemplated going since 2022, but this was the first time that worked when we both felt comfortable enough. We traveled out to Champaign to see them play Illinois.

It was not great. I kind of wished we went in the last three seasons. We could've seen a legit title contending team. What we saw last Saturday was tough. I want to say at the top, I still believe in this staff, I think Michigan will be just fine very soon and they need time to recruit their guys, which they seem to be doing at the moment. I'm still all in. Give Moore and his staff three years. That's all I'm asking as a lifetime fan. But, what we saw this past weekend was bad.

This is not a good football team. I knew it was going to be rough, but I thought it was going to be "rough". As many of you may have read, I predicted Michigan to finish at 11 in the polls and return to the playoff. I thought they could win 10 games. Now, after seeing them play live, I'd be stunned if they won two more games all season. This team has issues all over the field. Everyone wants to say the biggest issue is QB. And that is a big, big problem. The QB play has been atrocious all season. They have three times more interceptions than touchdowns. They've fumbled the ball as many times as they have thrown TDs. They have no confidence in their arms. Michigan has played three different QBs this year and none of them have worked. Davis Warren was too timid. Alex Orji seemingly cannot throw the ball down field. And Jack Tuttle was supposed to be a career backup in college. But the issues go much deeper than just the QB. On offense, the o line has been miserable. They cannot protect the QB like they have in the past and the holes they used to open up with ease, they're not there anymore. This was a unit on the team that was award worthy. This year they have spent more time helping their QB up than pancaking a d lineman. The receivers are small and cannot get seperation. They are often easily covered and when they need a catch, they drop the ball. The tight ends have been okay, but when the only threat from the pass game is the tight end position, it's too easy to stop that. Kalel Mullings has been a bright spot, but he is the only bright spot. Donovan Edwards has totally disappeared. Ben Hall barely sees the field. And Jordan Marshall, a prized recruit, has been injured pretty much all season. The defense, which should have been their best unit, has been up and down all year. The d line is okay. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant have been very good. Graham looks a little out of shape, but he is still producing. And Grant is swallowing double and triple teams consistently. The edge rushers seem to come and go. Josiah Stewart was unblockable against USC, but he barely did anything of note against Illinois. Derrick Moore has been hurt all year. Rayshaun Benny can't stay on the field. Cameron Brandt is committing dumb penalties. The linebackers have been okay, but I expected great things from this group. Jaishawn Barham is starting to pick it up, but it has taken too damn long. Ernest Hausmann is solid, but his coverage has been lacking. The secondary has been bad. Will Johnson is always hurt. He played one series at Illinois. He missed the Minnesota game. He may not play this weekend. Jayire Hill and Zeke Berry have made minimal strides, but they get targeted and get beat on a consistent basis. Quentin Johnson seems to have lost a step after flirting with the NFL. Makari Page coverage skills are nonexistent. And they get penalized far, far too much. There were multiple pass interference calls on Saturday. They got beat for three and long passes a few times. They miss tackles. The thing I notice most about this defense is how undisciplined they are. They have made so many mistakes this year that they haven't made in a long, long time. It is baffling to see after what we have watched for three years. This team has a ton of things to clean up. That starts with the coaching, but the players have to be held accountable at some point. And that means all players, not just the QB. Again,

I believe Michigan will be back. I hope that this season is just a bump in the road. Sherrone Moore was the right guy for the job. He earned it. But, he has got to move some things around and make some changes. I would love to see him play some young guys this season, just to see what he has on this roster moving ahead. And he needs to keep up the recruiting, especially in this new era of college football. As for this season, it's a total wash. They are a bad football team with a ton of issues. The issues are fixable, which is good. But, if they don't do something about it now, there is a very real possibility that they miss a bowl game one year after winning the championship. And that would be a bummer. Always and forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Ty's 2024-2025 NCAA College Basketball Preview

Today I'm going to do a men's NCAA basketball preview. Now, as big a grain of salt I told you all to have with my NBA predictions yesterday, find a grain of salt that is double the size of that one. Men's college basketball is like the wild west, I don't know half the players, I can't seem to get into it until halfway through the season and the product is not always the best. And instead of going through the power 5 conferences, I'm going to go off the preseason top 25, and of course I'm going to talk about Michigan.

In fact, let's talk about Michigan right now. I was a big fan of the Juwan Howard hiring at the time. I loved it. And it started out pretty well too. They made the tournament. Hell, they even made the Elite Eight. But, after some players left for the pros, the rails fell off. Then Howard started to fight with the staff. Then he had a heart condition. Then the top recruits either fell off or transferred. Last season was bad, so they let him and the entire staff go. They hired Dusty May from Florida Atlantic, and he brought some of his players over and brought in some transfers from elsewhere. They looked good in their exhibition last week, but I'm not writing much into that. With that being said, I do have high hopes. I'm excited to watch them play. I think they could surprise a few people. But, the Big 10 is tough. There's going to be a ton of travel and that will take a toll on the players. I expect this team to be loads better this season, and make a push at the tournament. I don't know if they'll make the big one, but the NIT seems like a real possibility, with my hopes being they make the big tournament.

Now to the top 25.

Kansas is number 1, and that's not surprising. They have a great recruiting class coming in and Hunter Dickinson came back for another season. I think he's overrated, I did when he was at Michigan, but the talent around him is great. Alabama is 2, and I have zero idea who is on their team. I'm sure they're good, they were in the Final Four very recently. UConn is 3, and why they aren't number 1 is baffling to me. They have won two straight titles and Dan Hurley is the best college basketball coach.  Houston is next, and then Iowa State. Kelvin Sampson is an upper tier college basketball coach and I couldn't tell you a damn thing about Iowa State. Gonzaga, Duke, Baylor, North Carolina and Arizona round out the top 10. Gonzaga is no Cinderella anymore. They're a legit title contending team. Duke has Cooper Flagg, and he is awesome. He is going to be the top pick in the draft. Baylor and UNC probably have the most depth and most veteran leadership. And Arizona has Caleb Love, who is awesome and really elevated his game last year. I wish he was able to go to Michigan.

Following the top 10 we have Auburn, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Purdue and Creighton. Auburn seems to be a much more respected offseason team than regular season and tourney team. Tennessee is hanging around and they are solid. I didn't know that Texas A&M was a good basketball team. Purdue made a push to the title game last year, but they have a ton of talent to replace, namely Zach Edey. And Creighton might be this generation's Gonzaga. They're always good. We then have Arkansas, Indiana, Marquette, Texas and Cincinnati. Arkansas hired John Calipari. He is a great recruiter and a mediocre coach. Arkansas will get great players, but they will burn out of the tournament way sooner than expected. Indiana is gooding good recruits, but they haven't really been able to become a serious threat just yet. Shaka Smart is still the coach at Marquette, and he will get the best out of his players no matter what. Texas usually brings in solid transfers and the new head coach is good. And RD could tell you more about Cincy than me (editors note: I could not really tell you more than Ty just did). The rest of the top 25 is Florida, UCLA, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Rutgers. Florida has become pretty steady. UCLA is a blueblood, but they haven't been as dominant as in the past. Kentucky has to replace Calipari, and they had to search hard to find one, so who knows how they'll look. I am confused as to why Ole Miss is here, and Rutgers got two top flight recruits. They will be very, very good this season.

Look, preseason polls are useless. I don't think you should rank anyone until a month into the season. We can't get a grasp on how good these teams are until we see them play a handful of games. Case in point, UConn isn't preseason number 1. What more do they have to do to convince pollsters that they're the best team in the country. If you want a Final Four prediction right now, on October 23rd, I'll go with UConn, Alabama, Houston and Duke. I'll go with UConn to win a third straight championship over Duke. Cooper Flagg will make Duke that good, but UConn has the far better coach, probably more vets and they will easily walk through the tournament for another season. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

Ty's 2024-2025 NBA Preview: Postseason Predictions

With the NBA season tipping off tonight, and after doing my countdown, today I'm going to do a playoff predictor and awards predictor. Take this with a grain of salt, the biggest grain you can find. I'll rank the top 10 teams in each conference and then seed them. From there I'll pick the winners of each round. After I pick my champ, I'll quickly go through my award winners.

I'll start with the East. Going from 10 to 1, I have the Bulls, Hawks, Heat, Pacers, Magic, Bucks, Cavs, 76ers, Knicks and Celtics. So the 10-9 play-in game features the Bulls and Hawks. Yuck. The East is rough. I'll take the Hawks here, assuming they still have Trae Young at this point. The 7-8 game is going to be tough between the Pacers and Heat. I'm going to take the Pacers here. They're younger and they will tire out the Heat. That leaves me with the Hawks facing the Heat for the 8 seed. The Heat will win this game. They're better, and they want to be in the playoffs. This gives us a first round matchups of Heat-Celtics, Pacers-Knicks, Magic-76ers and Bucks-Cavs. The Celtics will cruise over the Heat. It will be easier than last season. The Knicks will out defend and control the inside against the Pacers. They'll slow the game down a ton too. The 76ers will beat the Magic. It will be grimy and gritty, but in the end, the 76ers have the better talent. And the Bucks need to win this first round matchup against the Cavs. They simply must if they want to keep this core group together. Doc Rivers needs this too. So, the second round matchups feature Celtics-Bucks and Knicks-76ers. These are really good matchups. I'm all for this. I hope this happens. As for the outcomes, the Celtics are going to beat the Bucks. I do think it can go seven games, and the Bucks can make it interesting. But, the news of Khris Middleton being out to start the season makes me pick the Celtics. As for the Knicks-76ers, this is going to be a bloodbath. This series is going to be brutal, there will be a ton of complaints from both fan bases and it may end up injuring some good players. With that being said, I think the Knicks will be too tired from playing too many minutes. I am shivering in my 76ers pick. They've let everyone down in the past. But, with the Paul George addition, I have a good feeling about this team. That means I have the Celtics facing the 76ers in the East Finals. The Celtics are going to win the series. I could go in depth, but the Celtics have the best talent in the NBA. They are on a mission to prove that they're in the throes of starting a dynasty. The Celtics will represent the East in the NBA Finals for a second straight year.

Now to the West. Ranking the teams from 10 I have, Lakers, Rockets, Kings, Grizzlies, Suns, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, Nuggets and the Thunder. That's right, no Warriors or Clippers. I also thought about not putting the Lakers in, but the Spurs aren't ready and the Jazz front office won't let this team make the play-in. So that leaves the play-in matchups as Lakers-Rockets in the 10-9 game and Kings-Grizzlies in the 7-8 game. Give me the Rockets in the 10-9 game. They're younger, hungrier and ready for the spotlight. I also think the Lakers will be injured or tired, or both. The 7-8 game is going to be pretty good. Give me the Grizzlies here. If they're whole, the Grizzlies should be back to being a good defensive minded team and they can score when needed. The Grizzlies will secure the 7 seed. The fight for the 8th seed is going to be a high scoring affair. Give me the Rockets. This team is going to be a real problem sooner rather than later, and this year they're going to show that from the jump. So the West first round matchups will feature Rockets-Thunder in the 1-8, Grizzlies-Nuggets in the 2-7, Suns-Timberwolves in the 3-6 and Mavericks-Pelicans in the 4-5. The 1-8 series is going to be awesome. Two young teams with super talented rosters that can score. The difference, the Thunder play elite level defense. The Rockets are coming, but not this year. The Thunder win this round. In the 2-7 matchup, give me the Nuggets. I'd love to see the Grizzlies win. I'm going to be rooting extra hard for them and it would be rad to see them return to prominence after one bad season. But the Nuggets are deeper and more experienced. They also have something to prove after last season's early playoff exit. In the 3-6, a rematch from last season's playoff, give me the Timberwolves again. The T'Wolves are better, play better defense and KD will probably be left by himself due to injury. The 4-5 is going to be interesting. If the Pelicans can stay healthy, this could be a series. They are more explosive and have some defenders. The Mavs addressed some of the issues they had prior to last season's playoff run. The fortunate thing for them, the Pelicans won't be able to match the scoring. Zion could go off, but he needs help. And this team needs to stay healthy. So, the next round features the Thunder-Mavs and Timberwolves-Nuggets. These are both rematches. In the Thunder-Mavs rematch, give me the Thunder this time around. I think they learned from last season's exit, they are more experienced and they are a far superior defensive team. I also think the Mavs run last year was fluky. In the other matchup, give me the T'Wolves yet again. I love this team and expect big, big things from them. The KAT trade was funky, but the more I look at it, it just makes sense and makes them better. The Nuggets may force a seventh game, but I think the Timberwolves will finish them off again. So, that leaves us with the Thunder facing the Timberwolves in the West Finals. Give me the Timberwolves. They're the better team with the best player in the series. Anthony Edwards is going to announce himself to the world.

This means we have a Celtics-Timberwolves Finals. This is the Finals I think we all wanted last year. I think we get it this season. And I cannot wait. As much as I want Minnesota to win it all, the Celtics are going to go back to back, and I think they'll do it fairly easily. Boston is on the precipice of starting a dynasty. As for MVP of the Finals, Jayson Tatum is going to get it this year. He is overdue already.

For awards, my MVP is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA is going to be the best player for the team with the best record. He is awesome and he runs the show in OKC. Defensive Player of the Year is Victor Webanyama. Wemby is going to win a lot of awards in the future, and this is just the start after his ROTY last season. Rookie of the Year is going to be Reed Sheppard. He's going to be a big part of the Rockets' ascension. Sixth Man of the Year is going to be Malik Monk. I have been waffling between him and Naz Reid, and I think the NBA wants a guard to win it this time. Clutch Player of the Year is going to be Steph Curry. Another trophy for him to add to his collection. And Coach of the Year will be Taylor Jenkins. He is going to remind everyone why he is one of the better coaches in the NBA.

There you have it, my playoff and awards predictions. I am stoked for the start of the season. Let's do it. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

Ty's 2024-2025 NBA Preview: Title Favorites Division

Welcome to day six of my 2024-25 NBA countdown. Today I have the top five teams in my countdown. Tomorrow I will do my postseason predictions, including awards and Wednesday will be my men's NCAA basketball preview. Anyway, let's get to the top five teams.

At 5 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers won the offseason. They got the biggest prize of all. Paul George is now a 76er. I know he has a hyperextended knee right now, but by all accounts, he should be good to go at the start of the season. George is a perfect fit with this team. He will add late game scoring and very good defense. This was a great move. Joel Embiid is going to scale back all the games he has played during the regular season since he became an all NBA player. I think this will help him out. He will be able to go all out all the time and he shouldn't get hurt nearly as much. I love this move and it should help keep him on the floor more often than not. Tyrese Maxey has vaulted into an upper tier caliber NBA player. He is such a good scorer, he fits wonderfully and he has gotten better every season since he has been in the league. Kelly Oubre Jr returned and he has looked very good since he joined Philadelphia. Kyle Lowry will be a very good, very pesky backup guard. They got Caleb Martin at one hell of a deal. He is a wonderful role player and he is gritty as hell. They also signed Reggie Jackson and Eric Gordon. The 76ers have been making solid moves to get great vets to add to their roster. They also signed Guerschon Yabusele, who was awesome in the Olympics. The 76ers made excellent offseason decisions and they could reap the rewards. They need to stay healthy.

At 4 I have the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder are ahead of schedule. They were the number 1 seed in the West last season, and they will probably be there again this year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is elite. He is going to win an MVP, maybe even this season. He has elevated his play every season, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Lu Dort is a tank of a defender and he can shoot, well he can shoot sometimes. Getting Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey was a total robbery of the Bulls. Caruso is an upgrade in every possible way for the Thunder. Chet Holmgren shocked me and a bunch of other people when he played all 82 games last season. I don't see a repeat of that, but he is a pretty darn good rim defender. He does still need to bulk up though. Jalen Williams has taken a few steps each season. I now expect him to take a leap. He has all the tools to be a great second or third option on this team. Isaiah Hartenstein is going to add toughness and rebounding. He should be a nice change of pace for this team from Holmgren. Isaiah Joe is a pretty good shooter. Cason Wallace is fast as hell. The Thunder are young, good and ready to make the jump to a finals favorite. They're that good.

At 3 I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves are a threat to the Thunder, and all other West teams for that matter. Anthony Edwards is awesome. He is one of the best young players in the league. He has confidence and the ability to crush in the NBA, which he is already kind of doing. AE is one of my favorite players in the league. He is endlessly watchable. Rudy Gobert is a head case, but the dude can play defense. He is big and strong and can move. He is the best rim protector in the NBA. Mike Conley has fit in quite nicely as the head vet in the league. He is constantly mentoring the younger dudes, and they seem to love it. Jaden McDaniels is an elite defender. He is as lockdown as they get in the league. Naz Reid is coming off a Sixth Man of the Year award, and he will get more responsibility now, which he can definitely handle. They got Donte DiVincenzio and Julius Randle in the KAT trade. This is a good deal for all teams. Randle brings scoring and DiVincenzio brings space and shooting. And I really like the Rob Dillingham pick for depth. The Timberwolves are relevant, they have a superstar and they are fun as hell to watch play basketball.

At 2 I have the New York Knicks. When doing this countdown I couldn't believe that I had them ranked this high, but here we are. Jalen Brunson is a superstar. All he needed was the correct amount of minutes and a front office and coaching staff that believed in him. He got both with the Knicks. They got Karl Anthony-Towns in the aforementioned trade. He is going to do pretty well with this team. He is a solid defender, he loves to shoot and he has a past with Tom Thibodeau. They also acquired Mikal Bridges via trade this offseason. He adds a ton of what they need. He is a shooter, a slasher and a very good defender. OG Anunoby, when he is healthy, is a very good Swiss army knife of a player. He is one of the best defenders in the NBA. Josh Hart does it all. And he never leaves the floor. Mitchell Robinson is hurt yet again. But, when he is on the floor, he is a strong rebounder and defender. Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims are nice backup bigs. And Miles McBride had a pretty good playoff appearance last season. The Knicks are a very good basketball team. They have a very well constructed roster. They have pretty much everything they need to win big this year.

And finally, at number 1 I have the Boston Celtics. I don't think this is a surprise to anyone. They're the best team in the league and they return pretty much everyone. Jayson Tatum is one of the most underappreciated stars in the league. He is a willing and good defender. He is an excellent scorer. His passing has gone up a level. Tatum does it all. He needs the proper credit. Jaylen Brown was amazing in the playoffs and he seems to play with a chip on his shoulder. He has gotten so much better every year. That should terrify opposing teams. Al Horford has fit in nicely as the calm vet on the team. He also has become a pretty damn good 3 point shooter over the past couple seasons. Kristaps Porzingis is hurt, no surprise, but when he is on the floor he helps this team go. I was wrong about his fit. It works. Derrick White is a great shooter and a wonderful defender. He is the ultimate role player. Jrue Holiday is the best perimeter defender in the league, and when his shot is falling, he is lethal. The bench is good enough to keep the team afloat in their limited minutes. The Celtics should be favored to win it all again this season. They have it all and they have it all coming back. They're the best team in the NBA by a wide, wide margin.

That's it, that is my 2024-25 NBA countdown. I hope you all enjoyed it. I cannot wait for the season to tip tomorrow. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

Ty's 2024-2025 NBA Preview: Do Not Be Surprised to See Us in the Finals Division

Welcome to day five of my 24-25 NBA countdown. We are in the top 10 now.

At number 10 I have the Phoenix Suns. This team's front end talent is amazing. Kevin Durant is one of the best players ever in the NBA. He has been everything the fans and front offices have wanted since day one. He is an incredible scorer and a willing defender when called upon. He gets it. He is a surefire hall of fame player. I just hope he doesn't ask for another in season trade. Devin Booker shined in the Olympics. He really found an excellent role for himself there. I wonder if any of that will carry over to this season. If he can be that good of a passer, to go along with his scoring ability, watch out. Bradley Beal is a great shooter. He has been a very good scorer since his rookie year. He can be a first option if needed. He has got to find a way to stay healthy though. He is so often off the court now. Hopefully he gets that part figured out. After these three guys, it's a mismatched roster. Josh Okogie is a good rebounder, but not much else. Grayson Allen is much better than he has any right to be, but he is a zero on defense. Tyus Jones had to take the league minimum, but he should be a much better backup point guard than they had last year. I think I'm going to have to give up on Bol Bol. It isn't working out. Jusuf Nurkic is very average, but he is a good trash talker. Mason Plumlee is a deep bench guy now. And Damion Lee is one of those fun bench guys that never really see the floor. The Suns got a good coach in Mike Budenholzer, but it won't matter if the top three guys barely ever see the floor. At least we can count on Kevin Durant to do amazing things year after year.

At number 9 I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs most likely have their last shot to make a deep playoff run this season. This team might look very different next year. For now, Donovan Mitchell is a legit all star. He is a very good scorer, can find his spots and has hops to get to the rim. Darius Garland really struggled last year, and was in every trade rumor, but he is bound to have a better year. He is too good a basketball player not to have a better year. Evan Mobley got paid, and if he can start hitting threes, he will be worth every dime. He is already an elite defender and rebounder, he just has to round out his offensive game. Jarrett Allen is one of the best rim protectors in the league, and he is being reunited with Kenny Atkinson. Allen may explode this season. Caris Levert is a very good bench scorer, but he lacks defensively. Isaac Okoro has flashes, but it doesn't seem like he is going to be the starter and contributor they hoped he could be. Max Strus was a great addition. Emoni Bates intrigues me. And Dean Wade is overrated. The Cavs have a new coach and they paid important guys. They need to show growth on the floor this season, and I think they will.

At number 8 I have the Dallas Mavericks. They made a run all the way to the finals last year. It was a shock to me and plenty of other people. I don't think it will happen again this year, but they will be a solid regular season team. Luka Doncic is the most annoying, whiny and aggressively douchey player in NBA history. But the dude can score the basketball. He is also a decent passer. He plays no defense and he has got to shut up talking to the refs. But the dude is an elite offensive guy. Kyrie Irving is a wizard with the basketball. He has insane handles and he can contort his body like no one else to score in the paint. He is also a lethal 3 point shooter. But, he is insane and bound to get unhappy at the drop of a hat. Derrick Lively is legit. He announced himself last year and I see a leap coming this year. PJ Washington got out of Charlotte and shined. His shot reverted back to normal for him after a torrid start, but the dude looks to have new life in Dallas. They signed Klay Thompson this offseason, and while it adds another shooter, Thompson is definitely on the back end of his career and his defense has really dropped off. Daniel Gafford is a perfect rim runner and low post defender in this system. Quentin Grimes is an interesting addition here. Spencer Dinwiddie never really found a role and Maxi Kleber is more injured than not now. The Mavs are built to win in the regular season, but that run last year felt very, very, very fluky. I don't see it happening again.

At 7 I have the Milwaukee Bucks. Damian Lillard and Giannis Antentekoumpo have had a full year now to figure it out. I loved this trade last year, but it didn't work. I know there were extenuating circumstances, but now they have zero excuses. I fully expect Giannis to be amazing, this is on Dame. Khris Middleton just cannot get over the injury bug. He may have had another procedure while I write this. That is how hurt he is now. Brook Lopez is still very playable, but he is old and has for sure lost a step. I like that they got both Taurean Prince and Gary Trent Jr for the veteran league minimum. Those guys will definitely help. Pat Connaughton is a low rent Grayson Allen. That's not a compliment. Bobby Portis brings a ton of energy and he is a fan favorite. He has carved out a nice place here. The Bucks need a big time bounce back this season. They have got to figure it out because if they don't, Giannis may ask out.

The final team for the day, at 6 I have the Denver Nuggets. They seem to be having some front office and coach disconnect. And Jamal Murray was hurt and bad in the Olympics. And people are crushing Michael Porter Jr right now. But, this team is very well constructed and very talented. Nikola Jokic is boring, not as good as people want him to be and it baffles me that he has more MVP awards than Shaq. But, he is an elite modern NBA center. He doesn't seem to care about defense, and gets way too much credit, but he is good offensively. Whatever anyone wants to say about Jamal Murray, the dude shows up in big games. He is clutch in big moments. He is an elite shooter and a very capable point guard. Michael Porter Jr has his issues, but he is a very tall, very good outside shooter. He may not do much more, but he isn't asked to in Denver. Aaron Gordon is such a good defender and one of the best leapers in the history of the NBA. He has also become a great cutter and an okay shooter. I am not a fan of Russell Westbrook here. I like him so much, but this feels like a bad fit. Christian Braun will be asked to do too much now due to some players leaving. Julian Strawher seems like he is going to be a viable bench scorer. And Zeke Nnaji may never get real minutes, but the guy can shoot. The Nuggets may come out with a fire in their bellies after being ousted before the West Finals last year. They also have a very well put together roster and a solid head coach. The Nuggets are good and will bounce back.

That's it for the week. Come back Monday for the top five teams. Enjoy your weekend. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.