Ty Predicts the 2025 Men's College Basketball Tournament

I'm about to leave for vacation, in an hour now, but I wanted to leave you all with my men's NCAA tournament preview and picks before I take off for the rest of the week. Like most seasons lately, my knowledge of men's college basketball has dwindled lately due to the transfer portal and one and done players. I did pay more attention this season because both Michigan men's and women's teams were good. That being said, Michigan's men's team is filled with transfer players. But hey, Big Ten tourney champs baby! I'll take that any day.

When I looked at the brackets after they were released, a few things stuck out to me. Duke, who knows what will happen with Cooper Flagg, has a pretty easy path to the final four. They earned it by finishing the regular season as the number 1 overall team, but damn does it look damn near like a cakewalk for them. I feel like Auburn has the toughest path for a one seed. They could potentially face an upstart Louisville team or an experienced Creighton team in round two, if Auburn wins their round one game. And they will, most likely, have to face either Iowa State or Michigan State to get to the final four. Let us not forget they could also have to face Michigan in the Sweet Sixteen if both teams make it that far. That's tough. Florida and Houston are the other 1 seeds and I could see both making the final four. I'm excited to watch a few teams, mainly Michigan. Michigan had a rough finish to the regular season. They couldn't score and their defense was lacking. They still turn the ball over way too much for my liking. But they won three tough games in three days at the Big Ten tourney. I was nervous during the title game yesterday too. They looked tired. But they pulled it out and that gives me a little faith going into the dance. Getting a 5 seed is still confusing to me, but hey, they are in the tournament that matters most. I also want to see what 8 seed UConn can do. This is the two time defending champs. Danny Hurley is still the head coach. They have good freshmen, solid transfer and a few vets. This is a dangerous team. They remind me of the Kentucky team that was an 8 that ran to the final four some years back. I'm also stoked for St John's. I'm not a Rick Pitino guy at all, but he has done one hell of a job turning that program around in two short years. I love when St John's is relevant. It takes me back to when I was a little kid and St John's was one of the best men's basketball teams in the Big East.

There are some teams that I would be a little worried about if I were a fan. Sorry to RD's wife, but Purdue is not the team it was last season. They don't have that anchor in the middle this year, and that means the shots aren't nearly as wide open. They also face a solid 13 seed in High Point in round one. I fully believe that Akron is going to beat Arizona in round one, and hell, they may make a push to the Sweet Sixteen. I have zero desire to watch either Kansas or Arkansas, and they play each other in round one. And I think Clemson is going to be one and done, playing McNeese who flies up and down the floor.

My biggest "Cinderella" is the aforementioned Akron. I'm all in on them pushing to the Sweet Sixteen and then giving Duke all they can handle before bowing out.

As for my Final Four, I'll go with Iowa State from the South Region, Duke from the East, Texas Tech from the West and Houston from the Midwest. That's two number 1 seeds, and two number 3 seeds. That's pretty chalk heavy, but hey, that is how I wrote it out on my handwritten brackets. As for the title game, give me Texas Tech facing Houston. And I have Houston winning it all this season. They've been highly ranked all year, but no one is seemingly talking about them. I think that will benefit the team and coaching staff and they will play free and loose all tourney long.

There you have it, my men's tournament preview and prediction. I will see you all in a week. Have fun watching the first weekend of games. 

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 "The Righteous Gemstones" Final Season Premiere

The fourth, and final season premiere of "The Righteous Gemstones" was this past Sunday. My wife and I got caught up on it this past Wednesday. Let’s discuss.

I love this show. I have been a fan since day one. In fact, I'm a big fan of Danny McBride. And when he and David Gordon Green work together on a tv show, that is a sweet spot for me as a viewer. With this final season of "Gemstones", I'm curious to see how they wrap it all up. The last season finale felt like a series finale, but I guess HBO wanted more and McBride and co decided they could do one final season.

I figured we would get put right back into where we left off for this final season, but the creators and writers had other ideas. The fourth season premiere took us all the way back to the 1800's. We opened on a church service in Virginia. I figured the preacher giving the sermon was going to be a Gemstone and this would show us the beginning of the family cheating people out of money. While that was the case, the preacher was not a Gemstone. In fact, after the congregation was let out there was one person left in the church hiding out in a pue. That person happened to be Eli Gemstone, and this character was portrayed by Bradley Cooper. We are then taken through Cooper's path from thief to killer to chaplin during the Civil War to huckster to, finally, his coming to believing in a higher power.

Cooper was absolutely fantastic. He was funny. He was rude. He was ruthless. He was brutal. And I couldn't take my eyes off him when he was on screen. He really embodied everything the Gemstones would eventually become. He stayed around in the church to rob the priest. When the priest fought back, he shot him. Then some soldiers showed up to let him know that the preacher was going to be their chaplain moving forward. Cooper then proceeded to steal the preacher's identity and make him look even worse than he did before leaving the church. As chaplain, Cooper was aloof and skating by. He didn't care about these people who were on their deathbed. He wanted to get drunk and play cards. Even when one soldier figures him out, he goes in on a deal with that guy to steal from a higher up in the war, and then he killed him. When he was actually pressed into battle, the cowardice showed. While people were shooting and being shot around him, he ran and eventually hid. When he was about to be executed with the other soldiers, he got a pass because he was a "man of God". Even still, realizing his life would be spared, he was reluctant to give the soon to be dead a sendoff. He finally did, he gave a great speech and then you could see the shift in his attitude. He looked like he cared. His words carried and he finally realized what a bad person he was and it was time to change. Cooper did all of this, did it well, in forty minutes. That's a powerhouse performance. It also got me very hyped for the final season. I love that we got a backstory that showed how scummy the Gemstones have been their entire existence. And I assume it will only grow from here.

Bradley Cooper should get awards consideration for this episode because he was so dynamic. It was wonderful. 

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. Oliver Miller

I was looking at NBA news yesterday and happened to come across some upsetting news. I read that Oliver Miller had passed away at 54 years old. I guess he had cancer.

I was shocked. I had no idea that he was even sick. Many people may not know who Oliver Miller was. Hell, I'd go so far as to say that casual basketball fans may not even know Miller was when he was alive. I became a fan of his almost instantly. The first time I saw him play was in college at Arkansas. When I was younger the only other college basketball team I liked other than Michigan was Arkansas, and that was because of Nolan Richardson. Richardson was one of my all time favorite coaches. I loved his "40 minutes of hell" defense he ran. He would press the hell out of their opponents and it caused issues for them. And what made Richardson stand out even more for me, he recruited guys that many would say didn't look like your typical high level college basketball player. The first one I vividly remember was Corliss Williamson. But Oliver Miller was on a whole other level for me. Miller was a bigger guy. He was, what some would say, chubby. He was tall, clocking in around 6'9. He also tipped the scales at, or sometimes above, 280 pounds. That is almost unheard of with high level basketball players. Look at Zion Williamson right now, and he is listed at 260. Miller was 20 pounds heavier. So, to see him do the things he did under Richardson was eye opening for me. I am a chubby person and was chubby as a kid too. I loved that someone that was built like me, only taller, was so skilled and so good at basketball. Like I said, the first time I saw him play I was instantly hooked. He was on an Arkansas team that won their conference three years in a row and made the final four once. He was also the 1991 SWC player of the year and the conference tournament MVP. The Razorbacks moved to the SEC in 91 and won the regular season title that same year due to Miller's play and Richardson's coaching. And he still holds University of Arkansas records in highest shot percentage and blocked shots. He was drafted in the first round by the Suns, 22nd overall. He never found the same success in the NBA that he did in college, but he managed to carve out an eight year career playing for seven different teams. I remember him most on the Raptors, but that was due to their dope jerseys back in the late 90's. He bounced around Europe and found some minimal success in the CBA. He was an all star there, made second team CBA in 2003 and is the career blocked shots leader. He did have some late in life issues, including pistol whipping a man during an altercation. After that he managed to turn his life around a bit and kept out of the public eye. I don't know what kind of cancer he had, but it must have been bad enough to take him so young.

This one bums me out on a few levels. Miller was a niche player that I found a quick fandom for because of his body type. He managed to turn that into a great college career and an okay enough pro career. Rest In Peace Oliver Miller. I hope you're blocking shots wherever you may be now. 

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 Unscripted Comedy on Podcasts

I listen to a bunch of podcasts. You all know that by now. They are good for running, for cleaning the house, for going on long drives, they make the time go faster. I really like them and I listen to a ton of them. I mostly listen to comedy podcasts. There's the occasional sports podcast or real life stories, but comedy rules the day for me. I have been listening exclusively to comedy podcasts as of late too. I like to laugh and when I get over 90 minutes from an episode, that's the best. While I was out running today, listening to "Hey Randy", it dawned on me why I love this genre most.

During the recent episode of "Hey Randy", the whole crew kept going on long tangents that made me laugh and laugh and laugh. I then thought back to when I was listening to an episode of "Doughboys" last week. Mike Mitchell, Nick Wiger and the guests kept going off on random subjects, each improv funnier than the next. And I could say the same about most comedy podcasts. "CBB" is all about improvising, which leads to a bunch of funny stories. "Whomp It Up" is all about tangents. "Scott Hasn't Seen" has a bit more of a rundown, but that doesn't mean Scott Aukerman and Shaun Diston don't find the time to make some silly jokes here and there. And "How Did This Get Made" wouldn't exist without going off on many, many tangents throughout each episode. I adore this. I know some people may not enjoy it, or want it to end sooner. I don't. I would honestly listen to a bunch of comedy podcast episodes that were filled with tangents. To me, when the hosts and guests do this, it shows me how truly great they are at comedy. The ability to go off, to continue the thread, to make new threads, that amazes me. The sheer fact that these people are so quick on their feet is truly astonishing. I am truly taken aback by this.

For example, on a recent episode of "Doughboys", Jess McKenna stopped by, literally. She was doing another show, Mitch and Wiger saw her, called her in and she proceeded to crush. They needed a schtick for their upcoming tournament and McKenna has provided some gems in the past. In this episode, she came up with what might be her best idea, and it was all done on a whim. She didn't expect this, neither did Mitch and Wiger, but she came on and destroyed. That impresses me. Every week on "CBB" the second and third guests are doing straight up improv the whole time. From what I've heard, the people asked to come on the show only show up with a character name, after that, no one knows what's going to happen. "How Did This Get Made" is a movie podcast for all intents and purposes, but they go off constantly on that show and that is what drew me to the show in the first place.

This all dawned on me with the most recent "Hey Randy" episode. Tim Baltz, Lily Sullivan, Mary Sohn, Dan Lippert and Brett Morris are true professionals. I had to stop a couple times to catch my breath during my run from laughing. They nailed it all episode. And it sounded like all they needed was a word or phrase and that would set them off. It was one of the funnier podcasts I've heard in a minute. The ability and know how to act on a dime like that is shocking and so cool. I wish I could do it, but my brain doesn't work that way. At least I have all these comedy podcasts to enjoy, and for that I am one happy dude. 

Ty

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

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"Severance" is a Really Good Show

I got caught up on the most recent episode of "Severance" yesterday. We got some answers, some more things came to light and it was a showcase for Patricia Arquette's character Harmony Cobel. It was one of the shorter episodes of the series to date, clocking in at right around 40 minutes.

I thought the episode was fine. It wasn't their best, but it moved the story along. But, I guess there are others who disagree with my feelings. People online have been really going at this episode. People seem to really dislike it. I don't get this take, other than people just want something to complain about. Not everyone can just be happy that a big portion of us are watching some of the best tv that has ever existed to this point.

"Severance" is remarkable. The show is damn good. It's compelling. I crave each new episode every Friday. This is what I miss from watching tv when I was a kid. I wasn't bombarded with a million different viewpoints on why something I really enjoy is so bad. Harmony Cobel is a very important character on the show. She has been important since season one. She clearly has something big brewing in this season of the show. She went on this long car trip at the start of the season and I was curious to see where she was going and what would come of it. That is what this recent episode gave us. We saw where she went. We saw her old home. We saw some people she used to be connected with. And we got some big time answers about the creation of Lumon and the idea of how severance came to be in this universe.

I guess this isn't what the keyboard warriors wanted from this episode of "Severance". I have read some people's reviews, some reputable people, and they are going hard. These writers have called it boring. I read others who said it was pointless. And others talked about it being the "low point". None of that makes sense to me. "Severance" is not a show about one person. All of the characters play a role in the long run. Sure, the episodes centered around Mark and Helena and Dyaln in the severed office are my favorite. And I always pay closer attention when Seth Milchick shows up. But Cobel plays an important role. She seems to be one of the creators and visionaries for Lumon. We were going to see a solo episode based on her sooner rather than later. And I was pleased with what we saw. Everyone in this universe will, most likely, get an episode like this in the future of this show, and I hope that the internet dorks will just leave it alone. All of this is going to culminate in what I imagine will be a glorious series finale, whenever that day comes. But, people on the internet will never be happy. They will find something to gripe about. "Severance" could make what is widely regarded as one of the greatest finales of all time, but there will be a few lonely people that go on the internet and gripe about it.

We live in a weird time where no one is ever pleased with what they see, no matter what. All I can say, I am forever grateful to all the people that work on this show have given us and will give us in the future. Keep up the good work and I cannot wait to watch the final 2 episodes of this season over the next two weeks. 

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 "Mickey 17"

Last Friday my dad and I went to see "Mickey 17". I was going to write about it right after seeing it, a quick reaction, but I decided I wanted to sit on it and give the movie more thought. I wanted the weekend to sit with it. I'm glad I did.

Right off the bat, I really liked the movie. I'm a Bong Joon Ho fan. I love "Snowpiercer" and "Parasite". The love for those movies put me in a pretty good head space heading into "Mickey 17". What I enjoyed the most about "Mickey 17" was the humor. This is a funny movie. There's jokes and some of the things Robert Pattinson does as his version of each Mickey made me laugh out loud. Speaking of Pattinson, he is truly wonderful in the movie. He gets to do a ton and he nails it. With each new Mickey there are subtle changes and Pattinson brings all of them to life. The two main Mickey's, 17 and 18, are who we spend most of the time with and Pattinson plays both. Each Mickey is totally different and that is fully due to his performance. I thought he was amazing and he has become a better actor with each movie. He has upped his game, picks cool projects and I want to see what he is going to do next.

The other cast members are solid too. Naomi Ackie plays Nasha, Mickey's partner. She is badass and super cool. She knows this whole society they live in is nuts and she lets everyone know. She gives a great performance. Steven Yeun is Mickey's buddy, and he is an asshole. He is only out for himself. He will do anything to get ahead no matter who he has to screw over. Yeun is so reliable and so good as an actor and I am a fan. Mark Ruffalo is over the top in the best possible way. He is putting on a show as the villain and I grew to despise his character pretty quickly. I have to believe that was the point. He was so annoying and so stupid and Nasha lets him know it. Toni Collete plays his wife and she is equally despicable. She makes "sauces" and is always in her husband's ear. She is always telling him what to do in a way that will only benefit the two of them. And then we have the "creepers". These are the alien creatures that live on the planet they are travelling to in the movie, Nilfheim. They have a pretty great turn in the movie and it makes it all come together in the end.

Along with the acting, the story is great. This is clearly an allegory for how messed up the US is under this current "administration". Ho made his own version of it and set it in the near future. He kind of nailed it when it comes to what a trip on a spaceship away from a rotting Earth would feel like. It looked truly miserable. But Ho made it funny, made it work and made it a blast to watch. And I love the stuff he did with the "creepers".

This is a very good movie that I want more and more people to see. It is a fast two hour and seventeen minutes. And Pattinson is so good in his role. I highly recommend it. And go to a theater if you have the chance. The movie deserves to be seen on a big screen. 

Ty

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

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KD is Not Happy, Again

It seems like Kevin Durant is once again upset with his current team. Let’s discuss.

I adore KD. He is one of my favorite basketball players of all time. I love his form on his shot. He developed during his career as a defender. He can be vicious when he wants to attack the rim. He is a good rebounder. And he may be the most accommodating superstar player of all time. Every time he changes teams, he fits like a glove. I just wanted to get that all out there before proceeding.

The anger KD showed the other day towards Mike Budenholzer, during a game the Suns won by the way, makes it seem like wants out of there. Keep in mind, Phoenix was the only team he was willing to be traded to when he forced his way out of Brooklyn. Also, Brooklyn was his preferred destination when he left the Warriors after winning two titles. Oh yeah, he joined the 72-10 Warriors after his Thunder led team couldn't close out a series against them. And, as you all know, KD started his career in OKC. Durant did a ton in Seattle/OKC. He won an MVP. He led them to the Finals. He and Russell Westbrook and James Harden made the Thunder a viable championship caliber team. He was fantastic in his time with OKC. I liked him so much that it was easy to to shift my fandom to the Thunder after the NBA took them from Seattle.

The playoff series in 2016 changed everything. When KD decided to sign with an unbeatable team I decided it was time for me to switch to the Grizzlies. I just couldn't root for a player that went to the Death Star. That Warriors team was unbeatable and it kind of made the three seasons he was there pointless. We all knew who was going to win. I know KD got two rings and two Finals MVP's. I understand that they would have had a third had he and Klay Thompson not gotten hurt. But it felt hollow to me as an NBA fan. The decision to sign there didn't make a ton of sense to me, I guess he wanted the rings, but it was a head scratcher. I guess he heard all the noise from people saying that it wasn't his team, which it is not, the Warriors will always be Steph Curry's team, because he left and went to Brooklyn. The Nets signed Kyrie Irving, and KD wanted to play with him, so he signed there. He didn't play all year one, but after getting Kyrie and KD, the Nets eventually got James Harden. And when the three of them were on the floor together they were really, really good. They could have made a run to a title, but Giannis and the Bucks had other ideas. Then Kyrie decided he wanted out and wouldn't get vaccinated. Then James Harden wanted out. I guess KD was fed up, so he told the Nets they had to get rid of the coach and GM. He was burning every bridge left and right. He would say all these things on the record. It became enough that the Nets relented and said they would trade him. While KD only wanted Phoenix, the Nets were open to every team. But KD was so enthralled with Phoenix that he forced both teams' hands. The Nets traded KD for Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges and a bunch of picks. Neither team did much after that in that one season, but the Suns were favorites going into the next year. But KD, Chris Paul and Devin Booker couldn't really make it happen. They would get bullied early in the playoffs by one team and be out. And then, prior to last season, CP3 left and Booker and KD pushed for the Suns to get Brad Beal. The Suns did, essentially mortgaging their future, and acquired Beal for a ton of picks and some random players. This hasn't worked out either. One of KD or Beal is always hurt. The defense is horrendous. The Suns pay their top three guys so much money that they can only get players on the low end of the market to fill out the roster. They fired their coach last year and brought in a proven head coach in Budenholzer. Well, that isn't working now either. The Suns sit at 11th place in the West. They're five games below .500. Bradley Beal is hurt again. And during the trade deadline there were rumors that KD was available. I guess that didn't sit well with him, so now it appears he wants out of Phoenix.

As much as I love the guy, the one common denominator in all of this is him. He wanted out of OKC for rings so he joined the Warriors. He felt underappreciated in Golden State so he opted to go to Brooklyn. The Nets didn't live up to the hype so he forced his way to Phoenix. And now he is unhappy once again. At this point I don't know who would be willing to give up the massive amount it will take to get him. He is also in his mid 30's, which is older than you want your star player to be at this point. I fear that KD, who will go down as one of the all time greats, isn't going to get the love he thinks he deserves because he constantly blames others when a problem occurs. It's never his fault and his one option is to up and leave. I don't know. Again, I am a big fan of his game, it is just all the whining and complaining when he is met with resistance or isn't shown appreciation how he wants. I'm still rooting for him, but this constant need to be praised and be traded is getting a little boring. 

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 "Yellowjackets"

Over the past couple weeks I decided to start watching the show "Yellowjackets". It came about because I was looking for something to watch while waiting for each new episode of "Severance". I had heard good things about "Yellowjackets", and I finally decided to give it a go.

Where we sit right now, I have finished the first season and am just about done with episode one of season two. This show is really, really good. I find myself thinking about episodes long after I've already watched them. I think about what I would do in a situation like that. I enjoy the acting and the writing. I like the back and forth from present day to 1996, when they ended up in the wilderness. But what I like most about the show is the similarities between it and "Lord of the Flies".

"Lord of the Flies" is my all time favorite book. It is one of the few books that I try to read and reread regularly. And what "Yellowjackets" does so well is make that story more updated for today's audiences. This show is gory. It's brutal at times. The teenagers act like teenagers put in the most harrowing dilemma one can imagine. The one adult who is with them at the moment, only has one leg and he is not really in charge anymore. All of this gives me big time "Lord of the Flies" vibes. I know that they made some made for tv movie based on the book, but it didn't hold the same weight that this show does. I am a very visual person when it comes to things like this. I really like to read books and imagine things, but when I'm given a representation that I can look at and put a face to the name, that is key for me. I guess my imagination isn't as vast as I hoped it would be. And to have this show take place between a time when I was a highschooler and now, that is a chef's kiss.

Along with the story and the acting, the music is rad. I like the clothes that they wear on the show. It's nice to take myself back to that time when hypercolor and umbro shorts were widely recognized as the coolest clothes on the planet. But, in the end, when it comes to this show, it is so well made. I like the "Lost" vibe. I love to hike and trail run, so seeing the wilderness where they get stranded, I want to go to where they film and go for a run or hike. But the best thing, in my opinion, about the show is making such a bad situation and turning it into really good, binge level type tv. I am at a point where I cannot get enough. Like I said, I find myself reliving certain moments when going to sleep or out for a drive. I want to see how this all unfolds too. And, a good portion of these actors in the show are doing really good things in tv and movies right now. It's cool to see these people thrive.

I highly recommend watching "Yellowjackets" if you are putting it off and trying to find a reason to watch. It's a damn good show. 

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. David Johansen

I don't know how it passed me up on my social media timeline stuff, but I just saw that David Johansen passed away a few days ago. Let’s discuss.

Some people may not know who Johansen was, but I sure do. The people that do remember him probably know him from his band The New York Dolls. I never listened to his band. I think they were punk or maybe glam rock or something like that based on what they wore on stage. I will probably go check out some of the music now that Johansen is gone though. Other people may know him as an actor. Johansen was in a ton of stuff during his acting career. I saw him in a documentary about his solo music career very recently. I only saw the very end, but it was fascinating from what I saw. I will say though, he did look pretty sickly in the doc, and the movie finished filming right before COVID. But he was in plenty of things. He had a three episode arc on "Oz". He filmed a lot of stuff as his alter ego, Buster Poindexter. He appeared in a good amount of corny 90's comedies. And he played the bartender in "A Very Murray Christmas" on Netflix. But what I know him from best is as the Ghost of Christmas Past in my favorite holiday movie "Scrooged".

Johansen was so memorable in his small role to me. I have his face burned into my memory. He was the cab driver that was always smoking a big fat cigar. But he also made the most of his lines in the movie. The way he spoke was so memorable for me too. He was gruff and grimy. He had a brash New York accent. He had a raspy voice that always stuck with me. Of all the ghosts that Murray was visited by in the movie, Johnasen's was my favorite part. He made the gloomy parts gloomier in a good way. He showed Murray's character how bad his life was in the past, and that was essential to the plot of this movie. He took the limited screen time he had and ran with it. From that point on, anytime I saw David Johnasen in anything else I pigeonholed him as his character from "Scrooged". That's on me doing that, but I don't necessarily think that is such a bad thing. Johnasen left such an indelible impression on me with that one role that it has stuck with me even to this day. I adore his performance in that movie and will always adore that performance.

It was kind of nice to see a bunch of people, when I caught up on social media, paying tribute to Johnasen. He clearly left a mark on a ton of people in both the musical and acting world. He also seemed to have a ton of friends all over the world. A musician I really like, Black Joe Lewis, even paid a very nice tribute to him on his Instagram page. David Johansen seemed like a guy who lived his life to the fullest. It seemed like he tried to do as much as he could while he was on Earth. I appreciate that.

Rest in Peace David Johansen/Buster Poindexter/The Ghost of Christmas Past. I hope you're having fun wherever you may be right now. 

Ty

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

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Thoughts on the Oscars

I don't watch the Oscars. I have never really watched the broadcast. It may have been on in the house when I was a kid because I know my mom likes that stuff. But, for me, I have always just checked who won the next day. And I used to have a ton of takes. I would gripe to anyone who would listen. I did this for a while too. I'm sure I was pretty annoying to whoever would listen to me. I felt that I knew better about movies than others, I'd voice that opinion, and other people would move on. I wouldn't. I'd keep it going. Then, when I started dating my wife in my mid 20's, she really didn't care too much about the Oscars. And because I liked her, I kind of stopped talking about it all together. I'd still check to see the list of winners, but I would just move on. Sometimes movies I liked won, most of the time, movies I hadn't even seen at that moment won. That's the way this stuff is.

Last night was pretty weird and made me truly realize how insufferable I had to be back in the day. "Anora" took home pretty much all of the big awards. I'm currently 40 minutes into that movie, with an eye on finishing it today. I think it is a pretty good movie with an incredible performance from Mikey Madison. I feel like she is a deserving best actress winner. But, on the internet you would have thought a catastrophe occurred when Madison was announced the winner. Apparently a lot of people thought Demi Moore should have won for "The Substance". I love "The Substance". I personally think it was the best movie of 2024 by a wide margin, and Moore was exceptional in the movie. But, people on Instagram and other social media sites were screaming and yelling and viscerally angry that Moore was beat out by Madison. People went so far as to compare this to the plot of "The Substance". I don't buy into any of that at all.

The Oscars are subjective. Both actresses put on wonderful performances and were both deserving of the award. But only one person can bring the trophy home. They don't give out half trophies. I saw a lot of people were upset that Adrien Brody won his second Oscar. I have not seen "The Brutalist" yet, I plan on seeing it, but people seem angry. I guess he tossed his gum at his girlfriend and his acceptance speech went on forever which also upset people. I'm not a fan of Brody's. I have never been a fan. And the speech and tossing of gum is not a surprise to me, which is part of the problem. But, by all accounts, he did a good job in a movie that is solely focused on his character. And all the lead up talk I read was about him being the front runner. While I don't like him, it seemed like he was going to win it all along.

I don't plan on watching "Emilia Perez", I've heard it is quite bad, but no one seemed as angry about Zoe Saldana, a fantastic actress, winning for that movie as they did, and do about Madison and Brody winning. Everyone I have heard talk about "Emilia Perez" says it is very bad, and we now have all this controversy surrounding the titular character in the movie. Kieran Culkin was incredible in "A Real Pain", but I have even seen some gripe about his win.

Not one of these actors and actresses got full acceptance from anyone. Some people simply want to complain no matter what the outcome may be. People feel this weird need to go online and instantly give their reaction and thoughts about a subjective thing that doesn't even matter in the long run.

I guess what I want to say today to the reader, and anyone who had to suffer through my nonsense back then, I'm sorry and it's not that important. In the long run it doesn't really matter who wins an Oscar because we can all go back and watch the movies we all like and relive the performances we all enjoy. We don't have to degrade anyone else or any performance that we may not have been that high on at the time. All these award shows are meant to force debate, but if we just took a step back and let it go, maybe things would be easier to deal with in the long run. 

Ty

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

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A Millennial Remembers Gene Hackman

Gene Hackman, his wife and their dog all passed away two days ago. There has been a lot of speculation about the passing, but the reality is the world lost an all time actor. I hope they get this all figured out, but in the end, they have gone to the other side.

I was a fan of Gene Hackman's acting. He was a winning actor for sure. He, for the most part, took on pretty cool roles and, more likely than not, nailed it. I'm a big time sports fan, as you all know, so my social media feed was filled with everything "Hoosiers". I don't particularly care for that movie. I find it a little boring. I get all the love for it, and what it did for sports movies, but give me "Major League", "Bull Durham", "White Men Can't Jump" and "Hoop Dreams" anyday over "Hoosiers". I did also get a lot of love for "The French Connection". I have never seen that movie. I have heard it has one of the best car chase scenes ever filmed. And Hackman won one of his two Oscars for that movie.

For me there are two movies that told me everything I needed to know to be a fan of Hackman's work. The first is a pretty bad movie, which I love, called "The Replacements". This movie is about replacement football players that take over for the original players that are on strike. The whole idea of this movie is a problem up front. The viewer is supposed to be rooting for "scabs". These guys aren't pros, the pros are asking for more money, which they deserve. But, we are told that the pros are the bad guys and the replacements are the good guys. Anyway, this movie is all about Keanu Reeves' relationship with the cheerleader he likes, and his new coach, played by Gene Hackman. What makes me like this movie is Hackman's performance. He brings a gravitas and classic acting style to this movie. Hackman could have phoned it in and just cashed a check. He didn't do that though. He fully bought in. He was an old school coach put into a rough situation. Hackman wore a fedora, had a salt and pepper mustache and carried this aura of "win one more game for your old ball coach". And I loved it. I bought every single second of his performance in this cliched, tired sports movie. He was the best part about it, and when I first watched it, I had no idea he was even in the movie. The fact that I even remember a thing about this movie is because of Hackman.

The other movie, playing one of the greatest roles of all time as Royal Tenenbaum, is "The Royal Tenenbaums". This is my favorite Wes Anderson movie. I believe it is his best. The cast is amazing. The story is so well told. All of the actors are giving it one million percent and totally nailing it. This isn't just a straight forward comedy from Anderson. He tries new stuff out and he crushes it. But, the best person in this movie filled with magnetic performances is Hackman as the patriarch of the family. He's mean and gritty. He only cares about himself all the way to the end. He only wants things that will further push his wants and needs. He is an asshole, an egomaniac and a terrible father. And you cannot take your eyes off him whenever he is on screen. He owns the room every time he's in a scene. He is the funniest one in the movie. The moments of clarity he has are always undercut by more of his character's poor attitude and nonsense. I was blown away the first time I saw him in this, and with every rewatch, it reminds me of how amazing Hackman was in this movie. I've read that he was kind of a jerk to Anderson on set, and that is a bummer. But this is a role that will forever define Hackman's career for me. As a viewer of the movie of his I've seen, this is the best he's ever done and it's one of the best performances of all time. We should all be very grateful that we get to watch him as Royal Tenenbaum.

Rest in Peace to Gene Hackman, his wife and his dog. Time will tell how it all went down. But, enjoy being one of the greatest actors wherever you may be right now. 

Ty

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

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The Pistons are a Good Basketball Team, Finally

The Detroit Pistons have been a moribound franchise since they won a title in the early 2000's. They flirted with, and even made, the playoffs a few times here and there. When Blake Griffin was traded there, they were a middling playoff team. They made the playoffs here and there in the mid 2000's, but never got out of the first round. The last long playoff run they had was in 2008. They were the 2 seed and they made it all the way to the East Finals. Since 2020 though, this team has been bad. They won 20 games, then 20 again, then 23, then 17 and they finished off last year with a mere 14 wins. They have not been good and they have not been picking any higher than 5 in the draft.

Something has changed this year. The Pistons look good. The Pistons look legit. They are buying in on defense. JB Bickerstaff is doing one hell of a job coaching the young guys up. And the guys they took in the draft are finally starting to figure it out. Cade Cunningham looks like a perennial all star. He is hitting shots, making correct reads and looks in total control of the offense. Jalen Duren is becoming the rebounding and defensive lynchpin. He is so much fun to watch play basketball. Jaden Ivey has bought in as a bench and role player. He is so fast and so quick. He is proving that he can do a ton in short bursts. Tobias Harris has been an excellent addition to the team. He is providing the veteran leadership this team has been craving. Tim Hardaway Jr finally looks comfortable and free. He is allowed to do what he does best, which is bomb away from three. He looks good. Malik Beasely has added more three point shooting as well, and he is a very solid defender. Simone Fontecchio has shown that he can run a second unit. Ron Holland has been able to come along a little slower and he looks like he could be a potential steal, even though he was taken fifth overall. Dennis Schroder seems content and happy to be somewhere he is wanted and appreciated. Ausar Thompson may not be a legit shooter yet, but he can get to the rack and he is a total menace on the defensive end. He and his brother are going to be very, very good NBA players very soon. Isaiah Stewart may be dirty, but he adds a grittiness every playoff team needs. Lindy Walters is a solid deep bench player. And Marcus Sasser is a pretty good bench scorer. This team makes sense. The picks and free agent additions, which were maligned at the time, have been working out. As unfair as I thought it was for Monty Williams to be let go after one season, JB Bickerstaff was the correct pick to lead this team.

What I think has made this all work, and work so well, Cade Cunningham has come into his own. It may have taken a little longer than some wanted, but Cunningham is legit. There's a reason he was the first overall pick and a highly touted recruit. He has all the tools he needs to be very successful. He is big, can handle the ball, has become a better shooter and he has bought in defensively. It was no accident that they beat the Celtics by 20 last night.

I'm happy for the Pistons and their fans. They deserve this and I hope they make a run in the playoffs this year. The NBA is better, in my opinion, when the Pistons are relevant. 

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 Listens to "The Villager's Companion"

Califone, a band I very recently was introduced to, released a new record about a week ago. My buddy Kirk was the first to tell me about Califone. He told me about a special show they were doing in Saint Louis and asked if I wanted to go. I told him I didn't know who they were. He said, give them a listen and let him know soon, as there were limited tickets. I heard one song, "Funeral Singers", and I was all in. Kirk bought the tickets, we went to the show, it was awesome and Califone earned a fan for life. I have been listening to a bunch of their music, and other projects, a ton lately, and I really, really like their music. So, when Kirk let me know over a month ago that a new record was coming out, I was stoked.

I have, to this point, listened to "The Villager's Companion" all the way through twice, and kind of pick and choose songs from the record to listen to while driving. I enjoy this record a lot. The first track, "every amnesia movie", was also the first single. I like this song a ton. It is classic Califone. The guitar is very cool and folksy, the lyrics paint an excellent picture and it was the best way to kick the album off. That song is followed by "burn the sheets. bleach the books" is similar in tone. These two tracks are the perfect way to start a new record for a relative new fan such as myself. The band then takes a bit of a detour from their classic sound with the next couple songs. "a blood red corduroy 3 piece suit" is an epic. The song is nearly seven minutes long. It starts slowly, has a nice middle section I really like, then adds on a somber note, of which I have come to adore with this band. "jaco pastorious" is a bit more upbeat with electric instruments. It is also a very well written tune. That is what sets Califone apart from other bands for me right now, they can write a damn good song. "gas station roller doggs" is bluesy and accompanied by a wonderful slide guitar. This is their most Bob Dylan-like song on the record in my opinion. "antenna mountain death blanket" is spacey, in a good way. The band does some cool stuff with some different instruments here. It is also a total change of pace from what they usually do, and it works for me. "the bullet b4 the sound" gets you back in the classic Califone mood. The song sounds like something that would have been on some of their earliest records. "Family Swan" is sad and pretty and kind of blends the new stuff they're doing with the older stuff. It is a great mesh of their styles and this one comes in over seven minutes, but it never feels too long. The final track on the record, "Crazy as a Loon", is my favorite. It has everything I like in the folk/blues music Califone makes. From the slide guitar, to the story being told, to the backing band doing their thing, this song is an absolute homerun for me. I love everything about it. I find myself listening to this one more than any other track from the album. It's awesome. So is the whole album for that matter. I like that we get a blend of genres from the band in nine songs clocking in at 40 minutes. It's a ride I really enjoy taking with the music I listen to.

"The Villager's Companion" is a very good album. This will only further my fandom for Califone. 

Ty

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

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Thoughts on Why Sports are Taking More Time, and Getting More Unwatchable

Last night my son and I watched the Nebraska-Michigan basketball game when we got home from running errands. The game was rough. Michigan won, which I'll always take, but it was an ugly game. Each team missed a ton of shots. The offenses were both stagnant. The substitutions were baffling. It was a mess of a game. But what made it damn near unwatchable, the amount of commercials and the refs going to watch videos to see if the calls they made were right or wrong.

We turned on the game with a little over six minutes left in the second half. That's all they had. There were six total minutes of basketball that needed to be played. We turned it on at right around 8:40pm. The game did not end until well after 9:10pm. It took them over thirty minutes to get through six minutes of basketball. In a college game. This should have been over in no more than ten minutes. But, the telecast had to do their under six and under four minute tv timeout. That is unnecessary. The amount of ref reviews was unbearable. Every single call that may have had a hint of a mistake was reviewed. The telecast would show the replay and it was clear to me and my son, as well as the announcers for the game, that the correct call was made on the floor. But the refs took their sweet time. There was one play, where the ball was clearly off a Michigan player, that took so long the crowd started to boo. We all saw it watching at home. The players saw it on the jumbotron at the arena. The Michigan player it went off of knew, he was smiling during the review. He was fouled, which they cannot overturn anyway. But the review went on and on and on. The music person at the arena kept playing the same lyric over and over again so loud that we could clearly hear it at home. This review took over five minutes of real time, and it felt even longer. It was excruciating watching at home. And this was just one of the many, many reviews in the last three minutes of the game. I swear, some refs think that the fans are there to watch them lately. All the while, the game had zero scoring, had far too many missed shots, no team could ever gain any kind of momentum because of all the stoppages. It is a mess.

This is happening in every major sports broadcast lately. College and NFL games take well over four hours now. When my dad and I went to a Michigan game earlier this year, due to all the commercial breaks, it took so long that my dad said he doesn't think he wants to go to a live game anymore. NFL games seem to have stoppages every three to five minutes of gameplay. I get surprised when they don't go to a break after a punt or kickoff. NBA games are dragging too. There's too many foul calls, too many free throws, too much whining to the refs and too many reviews. It's brutal. The only sport that figured it out recently seems to be the MLB. They've made noticeable changes that seem to have worked. I'd love for the NFL, NBA and college sports to adopt some of the methods the MLB has. I'd love for football games to be three hours or less. Basketball games should never go over two and a half hours, and that should only be acceptable if the game goes into overtime. The commercials and reviews and all the other non sports things surrounding the game needs to be fully cut or toned way, way down.

All of this stuff, which was put in to minimize mistakes, is making games take too long. They're becoming close to being unwatchable. I don't know who to talk to or who to contact, but there's too many commercials and too much emphasis on things that have nothing to do with the players and the actual game. Something needs to change. 

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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FAFO: A Growth Mindset Approach

Lately, "FAFO" (short for "F*** Around and Find Out") has been making its rounds as a phrase of warning—usually implying that reckless actions lead to negative consequences. But I see it differently. To me, FAFO isn’t just about cause and effect; it’s a way of life. It’s about exploration, questioning, and engaging with the world in a way that leads to greater understanding. It’s about embracing a growth mindset.

To FAFO is to be curious. It means testing boundaries, experimenting with ideas, and learning from both success and failure. It acknowledges that sometimes we will stumble, but every experience—good or bad—brings insight. Instead of seeing consequences as something to avoid, this perspective frames them as lessons, stepping stones toward a deeper understanding of ourselves and our reality.

The alternative is stagnation. If we never question, never try, never push past comfort zones, we never truly grow. FAFO encourages movement, action, and participation in the world rather than passive acceptance. It’s not just about recklessness; it’s about engaging with life on your own terms, knowing that every step forward (or sideways, or even backward) is part of the journey.

Some of the most important personal growth in my life has come from FAFO moments—times when I challenged assumptions, took risks, or simply refused to accept things as they were. Sometimes it worked out beautifully. Sometimes it didn’t. But in every case, I found out more about myself, the people around me, and the way the world works. And to me, that’s invaluable.

So, I’d like to reclaim FAFO as more than just a cautionary phrase. Let’s make it a mantra for curiosity, for pushing boundaries, for embracing the unknown. Because if we don’t f*** around, we’ll never truly find out.

Kirk Aug

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

Thoughts on the Wembanyama Season Ending Injury

It was announced a few days ago that Spurs unicorn Victor Wembanyama is going to miss the rest of the NBA season due to a blood clot in his shoulder. Let’s discuss.

When I first saw the news it bummed me out. I also had the fleeting thought of, is this just the start of an injury riddled what could have been a type of career for him. Wemby is unlike any NBA player I have ever watched. He is gigantic. He stands at 7'4 and he looks every bit of it. He is an intimidating interior defender already. He can block shots out on the perimeter in a split second. He was going to win his first DPOY this season. He can dribble like a guard. He can shoot threes. He is quick. He was getting better playing in the low post. He announced himself during his rookie season, he struck fear in everyone who watched him in the summer Olympics and he was coming off his first all star appearance. He did all of this, and has all these skills, before he is even close to his prime. Wemby's best days are yet to come. But now he has this blood clot injury.

I didn't know what to make of it at first, but then I saw someone say this was the same thing that Chris Bosh dealt with near the end of his career. Bosh was never the same player after his injury. But, Bosh had a full career up to that point. He was an all star, a champ, a player of note in the NBA. No disrespect to Bosh, but Wemby has loftier goals and he was, and he can still be, on his way to being the face of the NBA post LeBron James. Now, who knows what is going to happen to him and the Spurs. The Spurs were not going to be a real threat this season, but they were on their way to fighting for a play-in spot in the West, which is going to be a tough get by the end of the season. Wemby was starting to really excel in spots that some thought might be a struggle for him. He was becoming this incredible defender. He was scoring everywhere on the floor. He was making his name for himself in the league and carving out his spot as the guy. He was playing better with a real point guard in Chris Paul. The Spurs went out and got De'Aaron Fox in one of the better trades of the past decade. The other young guys the Spurs have been drafting were figuring out their role with Wemby as the star player and focal point of the offense and defense. This whole experiment post Tim Duncan was starting to come together for them. And now they are without the guy that makes the engine run.

I see no real good out of this other than the fact that Stephon Castle, who is awesome already, will get more run and more shots. This is going to slow down the progress the Spurs were hoping to capitalize on soon. The Spurs sit a few games below .500 now, and with Wemby out who knows how far they'll fall. But I think they already have too many wins to have a real shot at drafting any of the big name prospects in the upcoming draft. But what makes injury so much of a bummer for me, as an NBA fan, I was watching a ton of Spurs games because I want to watch Wemby as much as possible. He is a gift to basketball fans. He is so unique. He is the first of his kind. He makes the game of basketball fun. He makes the game of basketball effortless when he plays, and that is a joy to watch.

This is a bummer. This is not what the NBA needs coming off another bad all star weekend. I hope it doesn't affect the long term in Wemby's career. That would stink for the NBA, but more so, for Wemby.

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 Reads "Joyful Recollections of Trauma"

I'm just about done reading Paul Scheer's book, "Joyful Recollections of Trauma". I remember him talking about the book on podcast appearances. I remember reading about it online. I saw some other people talking about it on tv and other podcast appearances. But, I hadn't bought it or read it at that point. Then it was gifted to me over the holidays, and about two weeks ago I decided it was time to read. I wanted to get off my phone, and reading a book felt like the best way.

I'm very happy that this was the book I decided to go with. I have really enjoyed reading it. I have heard some of the stories that he wrote about on podcasts, but to get even more in depth, and to hear how he is now dealing with them all as an adult, it is great. And some of these stories can get pretty rough, but Scheer always finds a way to undercut them with humor. Scheer is a funny guy. He always makes me laugh during his podcasts, and when he shows up on a tv show I like, I know he is going to make it even funnier. He has a great way to turn almost any situation into something humorous and enjoyable. So, when he goes into a story in his book about his abusive former stepfather or how his parents leave out major details of stories or when he got engaged or the feelings he had when he first had kids, it always ends with some kind of joke or humorous quip. He goes into great detail about these stories from his past, and while I find myself feeling bad for him, and I still do by the end of the story, he finds a great way to cut the tension. It makes for a nice read. Scheer really seems to know himself and he is finding himself being able to deal with his past. And he is now letting us all in on some of these life altering moments. I respect that. I don't know if I could do something like that, but I appreciate when someone can and Scheer excels here. I also like that he has the support and confidence from his partner, his kids, his friends and his parents to go into this much detail. They left no stone unturned. Even when a celeb's name is blacked out, I understand that people who work in Hollywood don't want to unwillingly call someone out if they don't want their name dragged through the mud. And when he is able to name names, it is pretty great to see how some of his friends used to act. But, in the end, Scheer is not here to talk poorly about anyone. He always has disclaimers about anyone he is talking about. He wants the reader to know that this is his story and his story alone. Scheer has invited us into his world and I'm forever grateful to him for that. There are even some stories in this book that I can relate to both personally and through friends and family.

"Joyful Recollections of Trauma" is a very, very good book. It's a bit over 260 pages, which isn't that long. So, if you're a slow reader like me, a book like this is perfect. And, if you want to read about real life stuff in a very good and funny book, read this book. I highly recommend it. 

Ty

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

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"Scott Hasn't Seen" and "Cobra Kai" Create Podcasting Heaven

One of my favorite podcasts to listen to is "Scott Hasn't Seen". It's part of the Patreon attached to "Comedy Bang! Bang!". I'm a patron and "Scott Hasn't Seen" has quickly rocketed its way up for me. I look forward to a new episode every Friday. This past week I noticed they were doing their final installment of "Cobra Kai".

I have only ever watched one episode of that show, the series premiere. It wasn't for me. I was a little late to "Karate Kid", I've never seen the movies that followed and I only first tuned into "Cobra Kai" because RD, who is a fan, told me to check it out. I get why he likes it, but I just couldn't get into it. But, for some unknown reason, every time Scott Aukerman, Shaun Diston as Sprague the Whisperer and Conor Ratliff are doing a podcast about the show, I devour it. I prefer to hear them talk about the show rather than watching it myself. I like the way they analyze it and joke about it. And ever since Ratliff's first appearance on the show, they have this whole idea that "Cobra Kai" was going to blend in elements from "The Next Karate Kid". They have gone so far as to call themselves "Next Heads", claiming to be the biggest fans of "The Next Karate Kid",.

A little backstory that may be needed, the first time Scott Aukerman watched "The Next Karate Kid", he hated it. He went so far as to tell Ratliff to f off. He was joking, but you could hear that he truly hated that movie. But in the course of that episode, Ratliff got Aukerman on his side. He convinced him that "The Next Karate Kid" was this gem of a movie and the whole idea of being "Next Heads" was born. Shaun Diston, it seemed, was already on board, so he needed no convincing. Since that appearance, whenever they get together to do their series on "Cobra Kai", they have been begging for the creators to add some elements from "The Next Karate Kid" into the final episodes of the series. And it all came to a head in this five hour long episode. You read that right. They did a watchalong where they watched the last five episodes, hoping to see elements from "The Next Karate Kid" sprinkled in, and talked about each episode as they were happening.

Again, I'm not a fan of this show, and a five hour podcast runtime seemed tough, but I couldn't get enough from these three. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for something, anything for them to glomb onto and run with. I wanted it to happen for them. They never really lost faith until it got close to the end, and I don't think that is any kind of spoiler for fans of "Cobra Kai". But, their constant need for them to add any kind of element made for one hell of a listen. I was there along with them the whole ride. I loved hearing them analyze each episode as it was happening. Anytime a shadowy figure would appear, they'd get excited. Anytime someone said something, an example from the episode is the word "alpha", they jumped on it and went on long tangents about how this could be the creators way of putting "The Next Karate Kid" into the world of "Cobra Kai". It was awesome and funny and had me on the edge of my seat while listening. I also took time listening to the episode. It took me about three days to listen to it in its entirety. And it was incredible.

This is the type of watchalong show I enjoy hearing and want more of these. When you get really funny people to commit to something as big as this, it is going to hit for me. I recommend listening to this episode of "Scott Hasn't Seen" if you are anyway interested in "Cobra Kai". It's fascinating and fun. Just know, it's five hours and it takes time. But it is totally worth it.  

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Sly Lives"

I'm currently finishing the new Hulu documentary, "Sly Lives". Let’s discuss.

I am a Sly and the Family Stone fan. I was introduced to their music a long time ago by my dad. I'm sure at the time of him playing it for me I got nothing out of it. I bet I just figured that my dad was showing me "old" music he liked. But, as I got older, and more into music, I heard more and more artists I liked talking about their music or covering songs at shows. I was intrigued. I asked my dad about it and I'm sure he informed me that he had played his music for me in the past. But, since other artists I liked were now talking about it to me, I wanted more. I started to dive deeper and deeper. I knew "Everyday People", "Thankyoufalettinmebemiceelf" and "Dance to the Music". But as I searched more and more into their catalog, I found more stuff I liked. Songs like "Family Affair", "If You Want Me to Stay", "Hot Fun in the Summertime", and so on and so forth. I dug the music because it was funky and I could bop my head along to it. I never really paid full attention to the music until I got even older. I would then, and still do now, listen to the lyrics and realize that Sly Stone had something important to say. He used his talent to talk about what was going on in the world. I realized that he had this vision for the world and I agreed with his vision. It also helped that his band was made up of black and white people and boys and girls. He wanted input from everyone. Sly didn't see color, he saw music. I love that.

The documentary tells you about all of this and tells it great. They have some very influential and important people talking about his genius. Questlove directed the movie, and with this and his last doc, "Summer of Soul", I feel like he has cornered the market on docs about funk and soul music from the 60's and 70's. He knows the topic and knows it well and he puts that out there on full blast. I love it. He was able to secure interviews with former band members, D'Angelo, Andre 3000, Nile Rodgers, Chaka Khan and Q-Tip, to name a few. To hear these heavy hitters talk about Sly Stone was amazing. Of course they talk about the music, but they also talk about so much more. I didn't realize how deep and connected people are to Sly Stone. I had no idea he was a producer and DJ before he was a renowned musician. I was floored when I realized he produced "Somebody to Love". I didn't know he came up in the church and later used that in his music. His family, when he was a child, was very important to his development as an artist. I didn't realize the drug issue stuff. I knew a bit about it, but didn't know how rough it truly was. The performance from Woodstock was eye opening. Questlove was able to get these videos of performances and interviews that were amazing for a fan like me to see for the first time.

I love this movie. If you know any little thing about Sly and the Family Stone, if you know one song, this movie is required viewing. I cannot recommend "Sly Lives" enough. It is instantly on my shortlist for best movies of 2025 already. "Sly Lives" is incredible. 

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 is a Waste of Everyone's Time

It seems I'm at somewhat of a crossroads with the NBA.

I adore the game of basketball. It was my favorite sport to play when I was younger. I played it as long as my knees would let me. I coach my son now because I want to stay attached to this game anyway I can. I also love watching basketball. Let me clarify that, I love watching college and NBA basketball. And, while college basketball was kind of hit and miss the past couple years, I've gotten back into it big time this season. It helps that my 13 year old is interested. We watch games together a ton now. When it comes to the NBA, I have found myself checking out more often than in. I am an old school fan. I don't like all the threes being shot. I liked it more when players had real hatred towards one another. I wanted to see these dudes really go at it during a game. I will always prefer a big dunk to a long three. I adored players like Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson based purely on their will to get to the basket and to not settle on jumpers.

All of that has changed.

I will say, players today are far more athletic than players from the 90's. The things these current players can do, some on both ends of the floor, is amazing. But, I personally feel that the game is softer and not as cutthroat. And I get that some people prefer this style of play. It just isn't for me.

For the last few years, the all star game and weekend have been truly abysmal. It is no fun to watch for me anymore. The dunk contest is totally watered down. No stars do it anymore. There was a time when Jordan and Dr J would sign up for the dunk contest. Aaron Gordon and Zach Lavine gave us some of the best dunks I've ever witnessed. Vince Carter returned the dunk contest back to its glory in the early 2000's. Now, we get rookies who get zero run during regular season games, or G League guys that are essentially a side show. Sure, Mac McClung is a great leaper, but he will never play a meaningful second in a real NBA game. I am a big Stephon Castle fan, but he is a rookie on a Spurs team that features Wemby. These guys are better than I could ever dream of being at the game of basketball, but they aren't Ja Morant or Anthony Edwards. The dunk contest is craving for star power. The 3 point contest is okay, but it's just a shooting contest, and almost every NBA player can shoot threes. This one has no issue getting stars because there's no worry of injury. But, when Dame or Steph are done after one round, I stop watching. The skills competition needs to go away, as does the "celebrity" all star game.

The worst part of the whole weekend is the game. It is nothing more than an offensive scrimmage. No one even attempts defense. Guys take threes from halfcourt. There's a million jumpers hoisted constanty. The NBA all star game is as bad, if not worse, than the NFL pro bowl. And this whole "tournament" thing they did last night, from what I've read, seems like a real whiff. I don't get why they decided to split the all stars into a bunch of different teams and have the rookie and sophomore teams involved as well. That is a waste of time.

The biggest thing I took away from the weekend, and why I feel at a crossroads with the NBA, I didn't watch a single second of all star weekend. I didn't check in at all. I have not looked at any highlights. I know Steph was the MVP, but I couldn't tell you a single thing he actually did in the game. I used to watch something every all star weekend. I used to watch a snippet of every event. But this year I had no interest or desire. I guess I'm over all star weekend. I saw that Kevin Durant was saying that, if the game is so bad to the fans, to give the players a week off. I know he was being passive aggressive, but that is a much better idea and way less of a waste of time for the players. I would love it if they did that instead of playing a pointless, defenseless basketball game that hardly anyone cares about. I don't know. But, the one thing I do know, the NBA needs to make some drastic changes to all star weekend. It has reached the point of being unwatchable. 

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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