#The fact Andy wanted him there by his side all 5 years of the Smiths is so sweet though

[mooseyspooky]

"Because I was his cheerleading mate"

[gaiapaia]

Kermit and Friends: Lizzie with Flesh-n-Bone and Onision

Fun fact about Gaia Paia: I grew up a fan of hip-hop music as far back as I can remember. It started innocently enough at 5 or 6-years-old when MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice were at the top of the charts. Fast forward a few years later, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony would release Crossroads and I was hooked from that point forward. My mom let me get the single on cassette since there were no curse words and the song was about Heaven... I played that thing non-stop.

So when Elisa told me Flesh-N-Bone from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony would be a guest this week, I was pretty excited!

Flesh did not disappoint. He was open and candor about his feelings regarding the current political environment in America. More importantly, Flesh shared about his past troubles with the law and how he lost 10 years of his life to prison due to a false conviction. Despite that and his very rough childhood, Flesh remains a big positive ball of energy just looking to improve the World in the way he personally believes it should be improved. He was very inspiring, honestly.

Flesh has a beautiful recent single/music video out called Dedication, which you can check out for yourself by clicking this sentence. It’s very Crossroads like, so any fan of that song should love this one.

Flesh was absolutely tremendous and it’s awesome to see him become one of Kermit’s new friends. I have a good feeling we’ll be seeing him back on the show very soon. Maybe we can get him to perform a live rendition of Dedication! 

Lizzie Harding also joined Kermit and Friends this week. She was featured on Andy Dick’s first KAF appearance back in January (you can read about that here) but it was Elisa’s intention with this episode to allow Lizzie to get into more detail about Lizzie’s unbelievable story.

Lizzie’s story includes her being falsely arrested multiple times, being held in solitary confinement for 5 days despite never once seeing a day in court, having her kids kidnapped from her, her husband allegedly being a pedophile while her kids remain with him, her rental house being burned down this past week after appearing on Infowars, and having all her money stolen by her husband.

If this sounds like an absolutely crazy story.... it is. Most of the chat didn’t believe Lizzie’s tales but I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt because A) she was so sincere and passionate, and B) her husband is an extremely successful, high profile lawyer in the state of New York. If anyone can get away with truly heinous crimes, it’s people in his powerful position.

However, after dealing with Lizzie first hand... I’m starting to believe she creates delusions about her situation. Don’t get me wrong, Lizzie genuinely believes what she’s saying, but that doesn’t necessarily make it true (if it is all true, I would feel horrible about saying this stuff... this is why #BelieveAllWomen is a thing).

A good while after Lizzie’s interview, Elisa would play an Eric masturbation video as she’s been doing every week. Lizzie flipped her lid and started texting Elisa in a very harsh manner, saying we promised Lizzie that there would be no sexuality on the show. That is 100% a false statement by Lizzie.

I talked to Lizzie after the show and told her had we knew something like that video would offend her, we would have put it off for a week. Lizzie told me to read our past messages to prove she warned us, so I did and there was nothing about that or anything close to it... yet, she still believes we had this conversation that we never had even though she cannot provide a screenshot of the things she claims we discussed.

Regardless of all that, I wish Lizzie well and hope she gets in a better place soon, both mentally and physically. She’s in a lot of pain right now and that’s always sad to see. Plus, Lizzie was an amazing guest before jumping off the rails, sharing her compelling story with unbridled passion. I doubt we see her on KAF again but she’s someone we will NEVER forget.

Onision made his return to Kermit and Friends this week as well if you can’t already tell from the title. He mainly ruffled Flesh and Lizzie’s feathers by questioning their stories and political opinions. Not to say Onision was disrespectful by any means... he was not, but they did not like his line of questioning, especially Lizzie. However, Onision was terrific because Elisa’s not the type to challenge and question someone on their beliefs or the stories they tell. I think there’s great potential in Onision bringing that kind riveting content to Kermit and Friends regularly if he chooses to become a mainstay like I hope he does.

Everything about this episode was a rollercoaster blast except for one part.

Elisa admitted that she checked herself into the hospital a few days ago. Apparently she had some serious chest contusions and was having trouble breathing. After not finding anything wrong internally, the doctors chalked it up as an anxiety attack after forcing Elisa to stay there for over 8 hours.

To give you a timeline of events... last week, Elisa finally had enough of Andy Dick after he moved in for a few hours and treated her like dog crap. Or did she? It wasn’t 24 hours after last week’s show when Elisa was tweeting “Hi” to Andy, trying to get his attention. It was about 24 hours after that when Elisa was on a date with Andy on his Instagram stories. Then about 48 hours later, Elisa is getting checked into the hospital thanks to the anxiety she claims Andy has brought into her life.

So what happened on that date and the days following? Unfortunately, we didn’t get any answers. Maybe we will next week. But I’m truly fed up with seeing Andy bring so much heartache to Elisa’s life.

Elisa wrote this very beautiful song and made a sweet video tribute to Andy and played it during the show. Why? Why does he deserve that? Maybe it’ll help give Elisa a sense of closure and she’ll be able to move on from him. Maybe not. If so though, then I’m all for it, but part of me doubts that’s the case.

Unfortunately, Elisa is not a fan of my take on Andy right now, which is that she needs to stop trying to help someone who doesn’t want to help himself and who doesn’t treat her kindly. Elisa needs to focus on HER mental health and HER personal hardships rather than burdening herself with Andy’s, which just piles on and on relentlessly until boom... you’re being checked into a hospital. It will only get worse if she keeps putting effort into this guy.

Andy’s lover Lucas called into the show to try to pawn off Andy to Elisa, doing his best to guilt trip Elisa into taking Andy back. To Elisa’s credit, she told Lucas no and it seemed like she meant it. However, last week it seemed like she meant it when Elisa said she was done with Andy, so who knows if she’s serious this time.

It’s very tough for me to watch Elisa destroy herself all because of this poisonous clown Andy Dick. I guess you could say I should take my own advice and stop trying to help someone if they’re not willing to help themselves. The difference is, I’ve loved and supported Elisa for 6 years. I’ve been there for her at times when I know for a fact no one else was there for her. Not because I want anything from Elisa, but just because I genuinely love this woman and I want to see a beautiful/wonderful soul like her be happy.

Elisa has known Andy for not even 6 months. She loves a version of him in her head that does NOT exist. She cannot turn Andy into the person she wants him to be, and the harder she tries, the more heartbreak and devastation it’s going to bring to her life. So I pray Elisa can find the strength to move on from him and any other person in her life that’s dragging her down.

Moving on... Johnny B did a great karaoke performance of What A Wonderful Word by Louis Armstrong, Laurie was back to do the KAF Wrap-Up Show even though she had no clue who Flesh-N-Bone is and didn’t want to look him up, Kermit made a new friend named Alex G, Sharmin Smith went on a passionate rant about COVID, and Hud Isaacson fell asleep during the show with his new girlfriend by his side.

Let me just reiterate that this was a classic episode. I really mean it. Flesh was awesome, Lizzie was mind-blowing, Onision was perfect, and the chat was the most active it’s been since the Spreecast days. I don’t like kissing the ass of chat because sometimes they think they’re more important than they actually are... but they deserve to have their asses kissed after yesterday’s show! Chat was absolutely on fire and that’s really all the validation you need to know that this Kermit and Friends episode was a very special one.

[emerald-studies]

The complex Nina Simone

“Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in Tryon, North Carolina on February 21st, 1933, Nina’s prodigious talent as a musician was evident early on when she started playing piano by ear at the age of three. Her mother, a Methodist minister, and her father, a handyman and preacher himself, couldn’t ignore young Eunice’s God-given gift of music. Raised in the church on the straight and narrow, her parents taught her right from wrong, to carry herself with dignity, and to work hard. She played piano – but didn’t sing – in her mother’s church, displaying remarkable talent early in her life. Able to play virtually anything by ear, she was soon studying classical music with an Englishwoman named Muriel Mazzanovich, who had moved to the small southern town. It was from these humble roots that Eunice developed a lifelong love of Johann Sebastian Bach, Chopin, Brahms, Beethoven and Schubert.After graduating valedictorian of her high school class, the community raised money for a scholarship for Eunice to study at Julliard in New York City before applying to the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Her family had already moved to the City Of Brotherly Love, but Eunice’s hopes for a career as a pioneering African American classical pianist were dashed when the school denied her admission. To the end, she herself would claim that racism was the reason she did not attend. While her original dream was unfulfilled, Eunice ended up with an incredible worldwide career as Nina Simone – almost by default.

 One fateful day in 1954, looking to supplement her income, Eunice auditioned to sing at the Midtown Bar & Grill on Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Word spread about this new singer and pianist who was dipping into the songbooks of Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, and the like, transforming popular tunes of the day into a unique synthesis of jazz, blues, and classical music. Her rich, deep velvet vocal tones, combined with her mastery of the keyboard, soon attracted club goers up and down the East Coast. In order to hide the fact that she was singing in bars, Eunice’s mother would refer to the practice as “working in the fires of hell”, overnight Eunice Waymon became Nina Simone by taking the nickname “Nina” meaning “little one” in Spanish and “Simone” after the actress Simone Signoret.At the age of twenty-four, Nina came to the attention of the record industry. After submitting a demo of songs she had recorded during a performance in New Hope, Pennsylvania, she was signed by Syd Nathan, owner of the Ohio-based King Records (home to James Brown), to his Jazz imprint, Bethlehem Records. The boisterous Nathan had insisted on choosing songs for her debut set, but eventually relented and allowed Nina to delve in the repertoire she had been performing at clubs up and down the eastern seaboard. One of Nina’s stated musical influences was Billie Holiday and her inspired reading of “Porgy” (from “Porgy & Bess”) heralded the arrival of a new talent on the national scene. At the same mammoth 13 hour session in 1957, recorded in New York City, Nina also cut “My Baby Just Cares For Me,” previously recorded by Nate King Cole, Count Basie, and Woody Herman. The song was used by Chanel in a perfume commercial in Europe in the 1980’s and it became a massive hit for Nina, a British chart topper at #5, and thus a staple of her repertoire for the rest of her career.

Nina Simone’s stay with Bethlehem Records was short lived and in 1959, after moving to New York City, she was signed by Joyce Selznik, the eastern talent scout for Colpix Records, a division of Columbia Pictures. Months after the release of her debut LP for the label (1959‘s The Amazing Nina Simone), Nina was performing at her first major New York City venue, the mid-Manhattan-located Town Hall. Sensing that her live performances would capture the essential spontaneity of her artistry, Colpix opted to record her September 12, 1959 show. “You Can Have Him,” a glorious torch song previously cut by Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald, was one of the highlights of the evening. The song opened with a dazzling keyboard arpeggio that would become her signature for decades. So momentous was the Town Hall performance that it inspired some of the same musicians, featuring the vocals of Nina’s only daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, to do a tribute to a sold out audience over forty five years later.As Nina’s reputation as an engaging live performer grew, it wasn’t long before she was asked to perform at the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival. Accompanied on the June 30th, 1960 show by Al Schackman, a guitarist who would go on to become Nina’s longest-running musical colleague, bassist Chris White, and drummer Bobby Hamilton, the dynamic show was recorded by the Colpix. The subsequent release in 1961 of the old blues tune “Trouble In Mind” as a single gave Nina her third charted record.Her stay with Colpix resulted in some wonderful albums – nine in all – included Nina’s version of Bessie Smith’s blues classic “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out.” Issued as a single in 1960, it became Nina’s second charted Pop and R&B hit and one of two Colpix tracks to achieve such a feat during her five year stint with the label. Other stand out tracks from that era were the soulful song “Cotton Eyed Joe,” the torch tune “The Other Women,” and the Norwegian folk rendition of “Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair” – all beautiful examples of Nina Simone at her storytelling best, painting a vivid picture with her skill as a lyrical interpreter. During this time with the label, Nina recorded one civil rights song, Oscar Brown Jr.’s “Brown Baby,” which was included on her fifth album for the label, At The Village Gate.“Critics started to talk about what sort of music I was playing,” writes Nina in her 1991 autobiography I Put A Spell On You, “and tried to find a neat slot to file it away in. It was difficult for them because I was playing popular songs in a classical style with a classical piano technique influenced by cocktail jazz. On top of that I included spirituals and children’s song in my performances, and those sorts of songs were automatically identified with the folk movement. So, saying what sort of music I played gave the critics problems because there was something from everything in there, but it also meant I was appreciated across the board – by jazz, folk, pop and blues fans as well as admirers of classical music.” Clearly Nina Simone was not an artist who could be easily classified.

Nina’s Colpix recordings cemented her appeal to a nightclub based U.S. audience. Once she moved to Phillips, a division of Dutch-owned Mercury Records, she was ready to expand her following globally. Her first LP for the label, 1964’s In Concert, signaled Nina’s undaunted stand for freedom and justice for all, stamping her irrevocably as a pioneer and inspirational leader in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Her own original “Mississippi Goddam” was banned throughout the South but such a response made no difference in Nina’s unyielding commitment to liberty; subsequent groundbreaking recordings for Philips like “Four Women” (recorded September 1965) and “Strange Fruit” continued to keep Nina in the forefront of the few performers willing to use music as a vehicle for social commentary and change. Such risks were seldom taken by artists during that time of such dramatic civil upheaval.For years, Nina felt there was much about the way that she made her living that was less than appealing. One gets a sense of that in the following passage from I Put A Spell on You where she explains her initial reluctance to perform material that was tied to the Civil Rights Movement.“Nightclubs were dirty, making records was dirty, popular music was dirty and to mix all that with politics seemed senseless and demeaning. And until songs like ‘Mississippi Goddam’ just burst out of me, I had musical problems as well. How can you take the memory of a man like [Civil Rights activist] Medgar Evers and reduce all that he was to three and a half minutes and a simple tune? That was the musical side of it I shied away from; I didn’t like ‘protest music’ because a lot of it was so simple and unimaginative it stripped the dignity away from the people it was trying to celebrate. But the Alabama church bombing and the murder of Medgar Evers stopped that argument and with ‘Mississippi Goddam,’ I realized there was no turning back.”

Nina was deeply affected by these two events. In 1962, she had befriended noted playwright Lorraine Hansberry and spoke often with her about the Civil Rights Movement. While she was moved by her conversations with Hansberry, it took the killing of Medgar Evers and the four girls in Birmingham to act as catalysts for a transformation of Nina’s career.There were many sides to Nina Simone. Among her most amazing recordings were the original and so-soulful version “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and “I Put A Spell On You” (which had reached to #23 in the U.S. charts), eerily moody, unrestrained, drama to the max; “Ne Me Quitte Pas” tender, poignant, filled with melancholy; and with gospel-like fervor, the hypnotic voodoo of “See-Line Woman.” In her own unrivaled way, Nina also loved to venture into the more earthy side of life. After she signed with RCA Records in 1967 (a deal her then husband/manager Andy Stroud had negotiated), her very first recordings for the label included the saucy “Do I Move You?” and the undeniably sexual “I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl” which were from the concept album entitled Nina Sings The Blues. Backed by a stellar cast of New York CIty session musicians, the album was far and away Nina’s most down-home recording session. By this time, Nina had become central to a circle of African American playwrights, poets, and writers all centered in Harlem along with the previously mentioned Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin and Langston Hughes. The outcome from one of the relationships became a highlight of the LP with the song “Backlash Blues,” a song that’s lyrics originated from the last poem Langston Hughes submitted for publication prior to his death in May, 1967 and gave to Nina.Nina’s seven years with RCA produced some remarkable recordings, ranging from two songs featured in the Broadway musical “Hair” (combined into a medley, “Ain’t Got No – I Got Life,” a #2 British hit in 1968) to a Simone-ified version of George Harrison’s “Here Comes The Sun,” which remained in Nina’s repertoire all the way through to her final performance in 2002. Along the way at RCA, songs penned by Bob Dylan (“Just Like A Woman”), the brothers Gibb (“To Love Somebody”), and Tina Turner (“Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter”) took pride of place alongside Nina’s own anthem of empowerment, the classic “To Be Young, Gifted, & Black,” a song written in memory of Nina’s good friend Lorraine Hansberry. The title of the song coming from a play Hansberry had been working on just prior to her death.After Nina left RCA, she spent a good deal of the 1970’s and early 1980’s living in Liberia, Barbados, England, Belgium, France, Switzerland and The Netherlands. In 1978, for the first time since she left RCA, Nina was convinced by U.S. jazz veteran Creed Taylor to make an album for his CTI label. This would be her first new studio album in six years and she recorded it in Belgium with strings and background vocals cut in New York City. With the kind of “clean” sound that was a hallmark of CTI recordings, the Nina Simone album that emerged was simply brilliant. Nina herself would later claimed that she ”hated” the record but many fans strongly disagreed. With an eighteen piece string section conducted by David Mathews (known for his arrangements on James Brown’s records), the results were spectacular. The title track, Randy Newman’s evocative “Baltimore,” was an inspired Nina Simone choice. It had a beautifully constructed reggae-like beat and used some of the finest musicians producer Creed Taylor could find including Nina’s guitarist and music director, Al Schackman.

Aside from 1982’s Fodder On My Wings that Nina recorded for Carrere Records, two albums she made of the independent VPI label in Hollywood (Nina’s Back and Live And Kickin’) in 1985, and a 1987 Live At Vine Street set recorded for Verve, Nina Simone did not make another full length album until Elektra A&R executive Michael Alago persuaded her to record again. After much wining and dining, Nina finally signed on the dotted line. Elektra tapped producer Andre Fischer, noted conductor Jeremy Lubbock, and a trio of respected musicians to provide the suitable environment for this highly personal reading of “A Single Woman,” which became the centerpiece and title track for Nina Simone’s final full length album.With two marriages behind her in 1993 she settled in Carry-le-Rout, near Aix-en-Provence in Southern France. She would continue to tour through the 1990’s and became very much ‘the single woman’ she sang about on her last label recording. She rarely traveled without an entourage, but if you were fortunate enough to get to know the woman behind the music you could glimpse the solitary soul that understood the pain of being misunderstood. It was one of Nina’s many abilities to comprehend the bittersweet qualities of life and then parlay them into a song that made her such an enduring and fascinating person.

In her autobiography, Nina Simone writes that her function as an artist is “…to make people feel on a deep level. It’s difficult to describe because it’s not something you can analyze; to get near what it’s about you have to play it. And when you’ve caught it, when you’ve got the audience hooked, you always know because it’s like electricity hanging in the air.” It was that very electricity that made her such an important artist to so many and it will be that electricity that continues to turn on new people all over the world for years to come.Nina Simone died in her sleep at her home in Carry-le-Rout, Bouches-du-Rhone on April 21, 2003. Her funeral service was attended by Miriam Makeba, Patti Labelle, poet Sonia Sanchez, actor Ossie Davis and hundreds of others. Elton John sent a floral tribute with the message, “You were the greatest and I love you”.” (source)

Watch “What Happened Miss Simone?”

[racingtoaredlight]

RTARL’s 2020 NFL Season Week 11 Extravapalooza

Holy moly, we’ve already made it to Week 11. I’m honestly conflicted over whether or not this is a good thing. In terms of basic pandemic mitigation practices, the NFL conducting its season is fucking insane. These guys are all well-compensated pros, but they’re still taking risks well above and beyond what they normally do, and I truly feel pretty shitty about that. In addition, the fact that some stadiums are allowing thousands of fans inside during games is a crime against humanity, and it really lays bare how craven and sociopathic the ghouls who own sports franchises are. 

With that said, it’s extremely hypocritical of me to be so disdainful of the NFL’s current existence, since I watch the games, set my fantasy lineup, and generally enjoy all the stuff that comes with an NFL season. I usually bristle and roll my eyes whenever a sporting entity trots out the whole “We feel like we’re helping society by providing a distraction from everything going on” line, but in this case, with where we are right now as a country...the NFL really is doing that. For me, anyway. Is the stress-relief that the NFL provides to me and millions of other people worth all the bad stuff that comes with it? I don’t know. Probably not. But, I’d be lying if I said I’m not thankful that it’s there.

My picks are in BOLD, and the lines come to us courtesy of our friends at Vegas Insider. I use the “VI Consensus” line, which is the line that occurs most frequently across Vegas Insider’s list of sportsbooks. Your sportsbook of choice may offer a different number, and if you’d like my opinion on said number A) you are insane, and B) leave a comment below and I’ll try to answer at some point before things kickoff today.

EARLY GAMES

Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens (-6)

It’s odd to have a game between a pair of 6-3 teams widely considered contenders that feels like a “must win” for each scuffling side. A great man once said “Desperation is a stinky cologne,” and the Titans absolutely reek coming into this one, so I’m giving them the edge. Baltimore being down two starting defensive linemen when Derrick Henry comes to town also factors into my pick, but nobody wants to hear that nerd shit, gotta go with my GUT, baby!

Philadelphia Eagles at Cleveland Browns (-2.5)

Hey, Cleveland doesn’t have to play in the middle of a tornado this week! There will still be driving rains, though. Fortunately, the Browns are built for the slop. RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are both ridiculous, but I’d like to give a special shoutout to G Wyatt Teller, who is currently Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded player...in the entire NFL. That’s some grade A beef! DE and straight-up superhuman Myles Garrett is out for this one, which is an enormous blow for the Cleveland defense. If I had any confidence whatsoever in Carson Wentz I’d think about taking Philly, but that young man is a mess.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-10.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars

I’m once again betting on the Steelers playing down to the level of their competition. The Jags kept things close against the Packers last week, there’s fight in them thar cats.

Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Football Team (-1.5)

I’m still extremely nervous for Alex Smith the entire time he’s on the field, but I have to admit there’s something magical about him making it all the way back to being exactly as Alex Smith-y as he was before (minus the scrambling ability, obviously). Washington RB J.D. McKissic has 16(!) catches on 29(!!) targets over the two games Smith has started. If this continues J.D. is going to owe Alex a cut of his next contract, and possibly the mineral rights to his legs if the need arises.

Today is Cincy RB Gio Bernard’s birthday, so LOOK OUT LADIES!

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints (-3.5)

I’m making this pick based on the assumption that New Orleans really does roll with Taysom Hill at QB for the entire game, because that’s what all currently available information indicates will happen. I really do wonder if that’s going to be the case, though. I’ve read a couple of things speculating that the reason Hill is starting is that if Jameis plays he’s likely to reach various incentive clauses in his contract and cost the Saints a bunch of money. That seems utterly ridiculous to me, because why the hell would you bother signing him at all if this is how you were gonna roll? Then again, I’m not a Football Man, so maybe my un-browned normie brain just doesn’t understand.

Detroit Lions (-3) at Carolina Panthers

CATFIGHT!!!

The Lions are the orange kitty in this scenario, because Matthew Stafford will be playing through a torn thumb while not having WR Kenny Golladay or RB D’Andre Swift at his disposal. 

New England Patriots (-2) at Houston Texans

The concept of an “emotional hedge,” first introduced to me by RTARL commenter Beer, is in play here. I have NO idea if the Patriots are actually decent or not, and this has all the makings of a letdown game coming off of their unexpected win over Baltimore. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore is expected to be back for the Pats in this one, which is very nice. RB Sony Michel is also likely coming back, which could muddy the backfield and take touches away from Damien Harris, which is less nice. 

The Patriots have an atrocious rush defense, but Houston’s primary RB, Duke Johnson, is far better as a receiver than as a straight-up runner, so I’m not sure they can take advantage all that much. In addition, Duke’s receiving skills are mostly squandered because QB DeShaun Watson hates checking down and seemingly prefers to take sacks while looking for throws downfield instead. Wait, why the hell am I picking Houston here??? Is this what hedging is? I don’t like it!

LATE GAMES

New York Jets at Los Angeles Chargers (-9.5)

It feels weird to lay 9.5 points with a 2-7 team, but such is the power of the Jets’ ineptitude. To New York’s credit, they were competitive in two of their last three games (against NE and BUF), but those two games were sandwiched around a 35-9 beatdown at the hands of Kansas City. We would all feel better if the cool, young Chargers steamrolled these sad sacks in a joyous explosion of big plays, and this pick is my attempt at speaking it into existence. 

Miami Dolphins (-3.5) at Denver Broncos

I don’t know why I have an affinity for Drew Lock, but I do. He probably appeals to the same part of my brain that delights in terrible movies and horrible jokes, which is the most backhanded compliment I have ever given anyone in my entire life. Drew's gonna tough it out and try to play through a rib injury this week, which is gutty and admirable and all that, but I can’t imagine it’s going to help his already shaky accuracy.

Green Bay Packers at Indianapolis Colts (-1.5)

The Packers are getting their best defensive player back in CB Jaire Alexander, which will make life more difficult for increasingly-noodle-armed Colts QB Philip Rivers. Conversely, Indy’s defense is among the best in the league, so I don’t really see a carnival of offense coming from the Packers, either. Honestly, this should be a close, well-played game between two exceedingly competent squads. The kind of game where there will be long stretches where nothing major happens, but you can point out random shit that happens away from the ball and talk about line play and really sound like you know what the fuck you’re talking about. A tremendous game for fraudulent football-knowers everywhere.

Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings (-7)

It would be an INCREDIBLY Vikings move to lose this game outright. The return of Andy Dalton is being treated like it’s something that’ll get the Cowboys somewhat back on track, but prior to his injury he looked like crap, so I don’t really know where that’s coming from. Also, while he was out with a concussion he had a bout with COVID-19 that “hit him hard.” It’s tough for me to imagine he’s going to play BETTER coming out of what sounds like a truly shitty few weeks.

SNF: Kansas City Chiefs (-7.5) at Las Vegas Raiders

A lot has been made about how pissed Kansas City is about the Raiders taking a supposed “victory lap” in their team bus around the Arrowhead parking lot after their win over the Chiefs earlier in the season, and I’m choosing to completely buy into this narrative because it’s fucking hilarious. If K.C. has already reached the “needing to exaggerate/outright invent slights to get up for regular season games against inferior opponents” portion of their reign, we’re in great shape for entertainment purposes going forward.

MNF: Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-4)

I don’t remotely trust Jared Goff against Tampa Bay’s defense. I do think this is probably our SMASHMOUTH NOSEBLEED GRIND IT OUT Game of the Week, and I can already see Tom Brady screaming at his offensive linemen at some point after he gets popped a couple of times during a single possession. Should be fun!

Last Week’s Record: 7-5-1

Season Record: 65-68-5

[deanky]

Total - C. Martin Croker Q&A

Total TV: I know you were already an animator before you got involved with Space Ghost. But did you also know that you had this great talent for voices?

Clay Croker: I used to work out at the laser show way back when. Ten years ago. It's out at Stone Mountain Park, this giant granite mountain that sticks right up out of the ground, and they project laser shows up against the side of it. That was my first animation job. I created a character right when I started out there, they had this bear character and they wanted a sidekick for the bear. So I came up with a Possum character that they called CW, which stood for Civil War, argh. [mimes vomiting] I didn't come up with that part. But I also wound up doing the voice of that character too. So I was doing voices for laser show characters a decade ago. And I'd always done goofy voices on my answering machine and stuff, and I was always a fan of Zorak from the original Space Ghost.

Oh, really? So this was like a deep-seated desire?

Oh, yeah. They started rerunning Space Ghost in 1978, when I was in high school. And we'd all talk about it at the lunch table and stuff. And there would be friends of mine who'd be like, Brak's my favorite, he's the coolest, he's that Tiki cat kind of guy. And I was going, oh, man, Zorak blows 'em all away. You don't know what you're talking about. So I actually did like a Zorak answering machine message probably while I was still in high school.

God, it'd be great if you still had a copy of that.

I may. I may. I save everything. I have answering machines tapes going back to '80. So when Space Ghost was pitched to Design Effects, where I was working, I had to kind of horn my way in. 'Cause they were just gonna make it a designer job and not have any animators in on it. And I was like, wait a minute! What do you guys know about Space Ghost? You know about any of the villains? And they were like, well, maybe we should have him sit on this. So I wound up actually suggesting that Zorak be on the show, 'cause I was such a big Zorak fan. I was going like, we gotta have some villains on the show! Zorak would be perfect! And [Cartoon Network programming head] Mike Lazzo agreed. He said well, Zorak was always one of my favorites too.

But I was dismayed when I found out they weren't going to use the original voices. 'Cause I thought, Oh boy, we're gonna be working on shows with Gary Owens doing the voice of Space Ghost and Don Messick doing the voice of Zorak Then I find out no, no, no, we're just gonna go with local guys. And I was horrified. I was like, oh, man, here I thought I was giving Zorak a career boost. And there was a point in a meeting where they said, hmm, well we're gonna have so and so do Space Ghost, so that solves the Space Ghost dilemma. Who are we gonna have do Zorak's voice? There's this long silence, and I'm like, well, it's now or never. And I just said, Well I can do that voice. And they were like, do it. So I just spat out one of the old lines I remembered and they were like okay, you're Zorak, that solves that problem.

What about Moltar? Did you have any affinity for him?

No. Zorak I really wanted on the show. And then we started reviewing Space Ghost cartoons at Design Effects, and the first cartoon we looked at was "The Evidence of Moltor." They changed his name between first and second season, I think they probably just couldn't remember what he was called. Originally, they had Andy [Merrill], who does Brak's voice, come in and read for Moltar. He sort of did kind of what wound up being Brak, sort of the same crazy inflections. And they were like, I think that's a bit strong. And then right before the show went to final edit, they said we want you to come in and read for Moltar. Can you do like a Ted Cassidy kind of voice? And I went [switches to sonorous basso] well, sure, I think so. And they said, well, go on in there and do it. So I thought what the hey. But, you know, the rest is history.

Do you ever get confused going back and forth?

At rehearsal. That's the only time I get confused sometimes. LIke I'll have Zorak and Moltar arguing, and sometimes I'll wind up starting to do the other character's voice and inflection. I'll see the word and think, Oh, this is a Zorak line. And it'll wind up being the other way. Sometimes I have to go, "Wait a minute, wait a minute, okay. Start the clock again."

Do you ever get up in the morning and feel like it's a Moltar kind of day? Or a Zorak kind of day? Does the identification ever go that far?

Well, the cool thing about Zorak is the fact that I can pretty much say what I'm thinking if I say it with Zorak's voice. Like at conventions and stuff, when overbearing fans get in our face I'm like, [in dismissive Zorak voice] "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

People love to be insulted by Zorak.

Oh yeah. Well, it definitely makes it easier to deal with some of the fans. We get some pretty rabid fans for Space Ghost. To me it's like, you know, it's just Space Ghost. But we've had some people that are just absolutely, like, crazy for the show. And being able to deal with them as Zorak does make things easier, because you can be like, [in nasty Zorak voice ] "Yeah, well pipe down, sonny, I hear your mother calling you." And they're like [breaks into rabid-fan chortling].

Do people assault you with their version of Zorak's voice?

Usually not. I think, you know, they would be too self-conscious about it. But we always get the guys who come up like with buttons all over their shirts and stuff, and they'll be like, [switches into moronic stoner voice] "Let me be a character on the show, come on, I do good funny voices." OK, we'll get your card and we'll call you. But in answer to your question, the only time I really feel like [a character] . . . I actually feel more like my other alter ego, who's the cartoon series that I've got on the side burner, which is Mr. Angst.

Mr. Angst?

Yeah, and I very often feel like Mr. Angst, a lot of the time.

How does Mr. Angst speak?

Oh, I'm still working on that, but it's somewhere between like Lenny Bruce and someone that has screamed till they're hoarse.

That sounds a little bit like Brak.

Yeah.

At least the screaming end of the spectrum, not the Lenny Bruce end.

Actually the guy that does Bird Man's voice I'm thinking about using as a character. But I think I'm going to use him as Mr. Angst's pal Crude Dan. He was based on a real guy I knew called Crude Dan.

What's Mr. Angst look like?

Let's see, well he's sorta kinda like . . . I don't want to say Danny Kaye because that involves a lot more connotations, but a lot like Danny Kaye gone bad, sort of.

The vessel with the pestle has the pellet with the poison.

So he pretty much just looks like this. [starts to sketch] One of these days . . . I've got some pencil tests done of him already, but with all the animation realism shows that are being worked up now, like King of the Hill and all these more reality-based shows . . . I've been wanting to do that for like . . . I mean I've had this character on the back burner since like '91.

Wow. He looks like a bit of a hipster.

Yeah. Oh yeah. Well I mean he's about like 35 to 38, somewhere in there, and like really into barbecue and bowling and all kinds of stuff like that. Oh, and he's always got to have that un-PC butt hangin' out of his mouth. [sketches it in] So he would be like . .. oh, I forgot all the . . .

The angst lines.

Yeah. [sketches them in]

That's really cool. Mr. Angst. Can I keep that?

Certainly.

Maybe after this big push for the new Space Ghost Coast to Coast episodes you'll have some time.

Well, the thing that's cool is because there's been so much Space Ghost stuff going on I've been able to ramp up my production. I've been able to like get more desks and pencil test machines and all the other equipment that I need when I eventually start doing something other than Space Ghost. But I've also heard rumblings that there's already something besides Space Ghost waiting in the wings, so we shall see.

Beyond Cartoon Planet?

Yeah. Yeah.

I love Cartoon Planet.

Oh yeah, me too.

And Zorak's Horrorscopes.

Yeah, Pete Smith wrote all those, they were a blast. I think we've done like the entire zodiac.

Pete wrote a bunch of, like, wacky stuff, a lot of the songs the Cartoon Planet Band sings on the show. Are we still recording?

Yeah.

I just wanted to like get the process down from the start. We read through the script, we make notes, I come up with a thumbnail story board, I show that to [line producer] Jim Fortier and then I work up the actual first draft of the boards. Then we have a meeting and go through basically all the boards and say, well, we want to use this, we don't want to use that. Then I work up the final boards, they get approved and then they start being animated. So that's how the process gets rolling, as far as like where all the new art comes from.

And that's basically your domain, the new art?

I do all the new animation for the show. I run my own animation company, Big Deal Cartoons. I actually run it out of my house, I have a studio set up in the basement and have freelance animators, all of which have 9­5 jobs in this town, doing animation because there's been such an explosion of the art form in the last year or so I can just get them at night. Right now, we're mostly working on Space Ghost needs.

What exactly do you do here in the Flame Room, Clay?

Tear our hair out? [laughs] This is where we do digital ink and paint. And then composite those new cells into other scenes. Which in this case is all the scenes of Bird Man sitting at the desk, stuff that did not exist in the original Bird Man universe. We do new animation compositing, rotoscoping some of the existing animations from the '60s and take Bird Man and Space Ghost and other characters out of them. We cut 'em out of their original scenes, give ''em new backgrounds, put 'em into a set.

You actually cut them out digitally?

Frame by frame.

That sounds pretty time-consuming.

It is. The show's kind of like a waking hours thing. While I'm awake, I'm thinking about the show. Before, up to this point, we'd been on the air almost three years and put out 33 shows. About a dozen shows a year. This year, we're doing 26 new episodes so it's a big change. As is usual around here, I'm booked in more sessions than just one at once. Right now I'm doing the Fred Flintstone thing at the drive-in and the bowling alley, where I'm like running up and down the hall all day long monitoring what's going on in ink and paint and what's going on in the actual composite, which is in here. So all the cells are brought in, we bring them in under the camera over here and shoot them directly into the paint box room. They digitally ink and paint them, like you're seeing an example of right now. Sometimes we add special effects. Space Ghost blows up Zorak in another scene, we have to paint him to make him look likes he's charred and burned.

Do you use like a stock image of Zorak charred or do you actually create that for every episode? 'Cause Zorak gets zapped a lot.

They have pretty much a standard few scenes where he gets charred, and they just use that over and over. In fact, they just made a new one. But yeah, we try to keep it as standardized as possible. We try to keep all the colors standard.

What about Zorak's boinks? Are the boinks new animation?

Where he bounces?

Yeah.

No, actually that's something that they digitally did. The first time I saw that I went, wow, what was that? They said, "Oh, that's something we were just messing around with." And I was like, okay. I just wondered, you know, 'cause most of the time now if there's new artwork involved in the show, then [senior Flame artist] Butch [Seibert] and I--or whoever is working in here, like putting it together, but most of the time it's Butch--we like put together all the new scenes. But every once in a while they'll come up with something and just go, "Oh, well that's a Tom thing," and they'll have [online editor] Tom Roche come up with something in final edit.

You guys have all these great names: Croker! Roche!

Yeah. [laughs] So I'll see the show and like all of a sudden see something I had nothing to do with and go, "Wow, what was that?" Well, too late to change it now. Watching it on TV.

That must also be kind of fun in a way. You get a little surprise.

Yeah, well, it's like reaching into a bag and getting, like, eeyew, noodles!

[thelanguageoflovers]

DIRECTOR’S CUT THAT DAMNED UNIVERSE. -L

Spoilers!That Damned Universe was heavily inspired by a couple of books I once read, and I think it has a lot of meaning that goes under the radar of a lot of people, instead being registered subconsciously (the whole point of my writing, frankly). Here’s a ridiculously in-depth rundown of each chapter, from the writer’s point of view.Chapter 1The first chapter was meant to introduce the storyline, and show some exposition. Lincoln Academy was named after my elementary school, and is structured in a ridiculously unconventional manner, given the strong academic drive of the academy. We find out quickly that Cyrus, TJ, Andi, and Buffy all room in Stanford Dormitory along with the rest of the freshman class, and Amber is in Halsey. Halsey was named after my favorite building of the college in my hometown, while Stanford was after the university, where Cyrus would end up going to major in psychology if TDU extended that far.I put Cyrus on the fourth floor and Andi and Buffy on the second for the sole purpose of creating conversational periods between characters as they go between one another’s rooms or to and from classes. This set up the framework for TJ and Cyrus’ first kiss later on.I intentionally wrote Cyrus to react to his arrival at Lincoln with minimal homesickness for two reasons. The first, of course, is that Cyrus grew up with four incredibly overbearing but well-meaning parents, and he is eager to take a deep breath. The second is that Cyrus, as all characters and people must be, is a psychologically complex character, and his immediate lack of emotional displacement comes from that fact. He’s so overwhelmed upon arriving at Lincoln that he doesn’t have the time to catch his breath, let alone miss his parents.Finally, the last line. TJ almost immediately tells Cyrus he finds him fascinating upon meeting him, which feels almost rushed, but was planned to feel as such. TJ’s first impression of Cyrus is so sudden and rushed because he immediately likes Cyrus, and isn’t quite sure how to express his emotions, so he naturally does his best to make Cyrus happy.Chapter 2The first line of the second chapter (Cyrus woke to his alarm, going off at exactly 5:55 am, as it always had - Cyrus was sure it always would.) is a representation of how Cyrus follows a schedule in his life that doesn’t change, and he assumes it never will. However, in chapter 6, he doesn’t wake to his alarm, because he’d fallen asleep with TJ the night before. This was coded to imply that TJ teaches Cyrus to let himself be human and have a little more fun.Cyrus wakes to TJ gone, because I wanted to show TJ’s elusive nature early on in the story, then introduce his character a little bit later. His leaving confuses and intrigues Cyrus, effectively prompting him to get to know TJ better.He spends an exorbitant amount of type getting ready on the first day of school, which was to further cement the notion that he’s a touch over-specific in all areas of his life, especially when he’s in a new, unfamiliar, or stressful environment (Lincoln Academy just so happens to be all three).Their odd choice of cereal (both Rice Krispies and Cap'n Crunch) is a little reference to Gilmore Girls, in which Paris and Rory both make interesting and unique cereal and milk mixtures on a couple of occasions.Cyrus’s offhanded comment that TJ hates the universe is not only the root of the title, but a slight character development from TJ, giving him a human characteristic. This at the very least proves that Cyrus and TJ had a conversation of substance the night before, and had learned more than trivial things about one another.Andi and Buffy lightheartedly making fun of him for his taste in unobtainable athletes was meant to allude to his crush on Jonah back home, and to show that he’d grown more comfortable with his sexuality since coming out to them.Lincoln’s class periods are 40 minutes, with a 20-minute break between. This seems absurd at first, but later we’ll find that classes constantly run lat, justifying the minor absurdity.Cyrus and TJ’s conversation between 5th and 6th period is meant to show their friendship and the way Cyrus affects TJ in a positive way. They joke back and forth naturally, complimenting one another and letting the conversation carry without trying too hard.Chapter 3This chapter follows my own change and interpretation of actual things from Andi Mack, turning some of my favorite pieces of the show in relation to Tyrus into my own plotlines. The first is, of course, TJ’s acrimony towards Buffy. In the show, this is expressed as jealousy of her basketball skills, whereas I chose to change it into jealousy of her close relationship with Cyrus. TJ immediately leaving when Cyrus and Buffy walk into the dorm room is meant to further stabilize the notion that TJ thinks she and Cyrus are together, though at this point it hasn’t been confirmed.Buffy and Cyrus getting into a fight over his feelings for TJ shows that Cyrus isn’t ready to admit how he feels. This also allows for TJ and Cyrus to become closer when Cyrus can’t turn to Andi and Buffy for constant friendship.Cyrus’s conversation with TJ in the library is interesting, as the second TJ finds out that Cyrus and Buffy aren’t dating, the conversation lightens. They’re then able to have a conversation that moves along without the weight of their mutual awkwardness resting on it. Their academic banter throughout the conversation was meant to show that TJ and Cyrus were both highly academically minded, despite showing that trait in very different ways.Cyrus being unable to stop himself from asking if TJ is okay shows two things about him and his relationship with TJ. The first is that Cyrus is the type of person who cannot refrain from helping others. He shows unconditional empathy for others, and those he loves are never free from his well-meaning comfort. The second thing this shows is that he has grown so comfortable with TJ in under 24 hours that he’s willing to risk stepping possibly outside of his boundaries as an acquaintance/friend to ensure that TJ is going to be alright.

Chapter 4

All of Cyrus’s teachers (Mr. Marlow, Madame Aguillard, Mr. Stile, Mrs. Elliot, Ms. Anderson, Mr. Smith, Mrs. Barnett, Mrs. Bailey) are slight variations of teachers I’ve had this year or last, most of which teach the same subjects I had them for.This chapter has one last interpretation of a classic detail from Andi Mack - the muffin. Their exchange of sandwich for chocolate-chocolate chip muffin proves that they’re friends, and care about one another enough to insist they have their favorite foods.I chose for them to play a game of 20 questions as a way to reveal exposition without stating their backgrounds, interests, and hobbies point-blank. This also allowed me to build their relationship through verbal learning.Marty being the friend who accidentally outed TJ let me introduce him to the story, and having him, Amber, Buffy and Andi rush into TJ and Cyrus’s room let me introduce them to one another. Amber and Andi’s quickness to flirt with one another showed that TJ and Amber inadvertently learned about love in the same way - they both grew up learning from their parents that those you love can leave quickly. Thus, they both picked up a habit of quickly establishing a close relationship with those they’re attracted to before they leave.Chapter 5 Cyrus wakes with a terrible headache the next day (and jokes with TJ about being hungover) because of the yelling and conflict the night before. I put this aspect in for two main reasons. One is, of course, showing that Cyrus can’t stand conflict, and is consistently trying to resolve it. The second reason I put this bit into the story is so that I could allow TJ to minorly comfort Cyrus in a platonic (but romantically intentioned) manner.Cyrus quickly saving TJ from having to out himself to Buffy and Andi was a move that I wrote in to show Cyrus’s growing ability to cut into conversations and protect those he loves, as taught to him by TJ.The small scene of TJ and Cyrus studying together exhibits the lighthearted, carefree side of their relationship that I thought was very important to introduce at some point in the story.The romantic tension between Cyrus and TJ as the former helps TJ with his compass foreshadows their awkward encounter following their first kiss later on. When it ultimately built to them falling asleep holding pinkies, that was meant to show that they were each aware of their feelings for the other, but reluctant to show them.Chapter 6When Cyrus and TJ wake up the next morning, they’re curled around one another, and it causes intense romantic tension between the pair as they go about starting the day. This ends when they go back and forth in a short exchange of ‘I wasn’t’ and 'well neither was I’. TJ tries to kiss Cyrus, but they’re interrupted by a phone call. This signifies the awkward, fumbling nature of the relationship, especially as they go to help Andi. Their acknowledgment of the awkwardness between them is a huge step in their relationship, which ultimately leads to their first kiss.Their argument in the stairwell being the lead up to their kiss was a choice I made because in the heat of an argument, emotions are heightened. This was important for the scene to work, as if they hadn’t been arguing, neither would have the courage to kiss the other.Final ChapterI had Cyrus start the seventh chapter regretting his kiss with TJ to drive the plot. This forced TJ and him to have an actual conversation about what exactly their relationship was at the end of the chapter.Honestly, there were only two reasons I made Buffy aroace. First, I’m ace and I wanted representation, so I took the opportunity when it arose. Second, I wanted to tease you guys with Muffy (anyone paying really close attention to AO3 will have noticed that I tagged TDU as a Marty/Buffy fic, then took away the tag for the last chapter).Cyrus wagering his asking TJ out for Andi doing the same with Amber was a way for me to close the Ambi storyline in a satisfactory way without dedicating an entire chapter exclusively to it.The mini-monologue of Cyrus deciding whether or not to kiss TJ was one I’d been writing in my head since beginning to write TDU, and completed the fic in a way that was so characteristic of my writing that I couldn’t help but throw it in just to make the story feel completely finished.

[musicmixtapes]

Halloween Mix (October 31 ‘18)

Happy Halloween to all my favorite witches, vampires and ghouls--This week's mix is pretty self explanatory but I had so much fun making it and think that it can be listened to even when it's not Halloween because we all have spooky hearts year round

Listen on Spotify

1. Witch by the bird and the bee - The beginning of this song with the xylophone sounds already sets us up for some interesting tones and makes it all the more spooky vibed throughout, which was automatically very ear catching when I first listened to it. But other than that, the entire love-lust-desire themed song of a witch entrapping someone in their spell and taking names without mercy is such a great trope for female empowered music. There are so many references to the "spells" "biddings" "conjurings" "hauntings" in this piece which makes it a classic halloween song. But I didn't find this during witching season, in fact, I discovered it over the summer which goes to show that it holds the test of time and can be enjoyed not just on this specific day (although I highly recommend it going on your own Halloween mix for sure). There is also another really cool instrumental segment in the mid part of the song where an electric guitar or string instrument of some sort is introduced followed by the step down chords of the synthesized creepy piano/string sound that is recurring in this piece. 

2. Ungodly Fruit by Wax Tailor - This artist, who I have featured one other time on a previous mixtape, produces some of the the smartest and most unique pieces that I have had the pleasure of hearing with unworthy ears. There are not many words in this piece and in Wax Tailor true character, the words in the song are samples from different films. The first lyrics heard are Sampled from Professor Alexander Siletsky in the 1942 film To Be or Not to Be. The second portion of lyric is sampled from the 1934 film The Man Who Knew Too Much. Listening to the extravagant horns throughout the piece along with the interesting harp and assorted strings woven through create a vintage love/horror movie vibe that perfectly aligns with the samples of the movie lines that are showcased. 

3. Black Magic Woman by Fleetwood Mac - Please for the love of halloween and all things magical, do not try and tell me that this is a cover of Santana's song because it is the other way around actually. His much popularized cover is quite fantastic, I agree, but there is something special and essential Fleetwood Mac about this piece that sets up the vibe of the band from very early on in the metamorphosis of the group. Now, if you are only familiar with the more recent group, you would be confused by this track because it sounds different and queen Stevie Nicks is not anywhere to be found. The group used to consist of Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood and Jeremy Spencer before the grouping was changed to what we know now. Honestly, this song is just a prediction about the queen witch that would later grace the band, but also a desire song about a mystifying woman.

4. Monster Mash by Bobby Boris Pickett & The Crypt Kickers - If you have been living under a rock for every October since you were born, then you don't know this awesomely spooky hit. Otherwise, I'm absolutely sure you've sung, you've danced, you've enjoyed this graveyard smash of a song that has created a rippling effect over halloweens for over fifty years. I remember being in kindergarten at my Halloween parade and walking around showing off my angel costume to this song, so yes, it has had a lasting effect on me for sure. Lou Simon, senior director of music programming at SiriusXM Radio, says, “‘Monster Mash’ has timeless appeal. The generations who grew up with it have fond memories of the song from the ’60s and again from its ’70s renaissance. The familiar arrangement is uncomplicated and delightful. It’s just one of those records that wears well and makes people happy.”

5. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side by The Smiths - Ok starting this one off with a literary definition, just in case you don't know exactly what Morrissey is referring to... To have a thorn in one's side is to have something or someone that continually causes problems for you; my definition of this is when someone will not quit pissing you off and making life hell even if they are unaware of doing so, we all have one of these and they are utterly unshakeable such is the way of life. When asked if this song was inspired by Oscar Wilde in an interview, Morrissey replied: "No, that’s not true. The thorn is the music industry and all those people who never believed anything I said, tried to get rid of me and wouldn’t play the records. So I think we’ve reached a stage where we feel: if they don’t believe me now, will they ever believe me? What more can a poor boy do?" 

6. Leave Me Be by Beau - This is one of two songs on this week's mix that does not exactly conform to theme I laid out but there was no way I was going to leave it out because the sounds and emotions included in this piece is perfectly in line with the general feeling of the playlist. The singer's voice is so weird and unique, I have not heard anything like it before, but it definitely reminds me a bit of Lene Lovich's (80s singer) voice when she does those big jumps in range and pitch in the chorus of the song. I guess the voyeuristic image of someone bothering the speaker of the song and pestering her like an impetuous ghost following one around does conform to the theme of ghoulish natures and general halloween-ness. My favourite line from the song is the repeated phrase "All I ever wanted was just to be left alone/All I ever wanted was something to call my own" because me too... me too. 

7. The Piano Duet by Danny Elfman (Corpse Bride) - Sitting in the piano room of my college dorm in the East Village on a Monday night a couple of weeks ago, I was exhausted of studying statistics and needed something to bring me to a peaceful state of mind. At first, I tried playing other pieces of music, but they proved too complex for my muddle mind at the time. Then I came across this simple and wonderful piece hailing from the classic animated king of Halloween, Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride. I was fascinated by the wandering notes that can be played with literally one finger which turns into this complex two handed piano piece that takes more time than I had to learn in its entirety. Danny Elfman has composed a lot of music for Burton which has become well loved and renowned but this short piece is striking and emotional for me. If you have the chance and a piano, you should play around with it because I think it is so satisfying to play. 8. Agony by Yung Lean - Originally I found this song in another version, one that was done by the alternative band Beach Fossils and I was hesitant not to put that version on the mix, but in the end decided the original needed to be heard and loved more. Coming from the Swedish hip hop/rap/emo/etc performed and artist Yung Lean, this vulnerable piece of music which describes how it feels to become unraveled is unrivalled by a lot of other songs about chaos that traps you in your own mind. What's more is that the song comes from a place of truth because the artist, Jonatan Hastard's (Yung Lean), spent time in a psychiatric facility due to mental health issues which were making him unable to live successfully. I think that it is so important that mental illness be represented in the music industry because it shows not only that having illness is okay, but that you can deal with it and get through it. So, thank you for showing us yourself, Hastard, and encouraging us to do the same. 

9. Skeletons (Acoustic) by Yeah Yeah Yeahs - How fitting for this celebratory day with none other than the queen of being spooky and distorted. In this track, the speaker asks her lover to basically tear her apart, to destroy her by any means necessary because she has already been destroyed by the love she has experienced. Now, one of the most important things to remember about a song that has very few lyrics is that the ones that are there, are there for a particular reason. The phrase "frost or flame" returns more than once, and it is due to the reference to the poem by Robert Frost "Fire and Ice" in which he details which way the world ending would be better. The speaker relates this to the way that her lover can destroy her: either by burning her or icing her out. I am going to include the poem because I love it so much: Some say the world will end in fire/Some say in ice/From what I’ve tasted of desire/I hold with those who favor fire/But if it had to perish twice/I think I know enough of hate/To say that for destruction ice/Is also great/And would suffice.

10. Femme Fatale by The Velvet Underground - I'm sure you've heard of this phrase before, but do you know why and when is became such an iconic phrase? No? I didn't either until I heard this wonderful song. This phrase has actually been around since the turn of the 19th century with the mass popularization of the gothic type of novel, but it resurfaced with this song in the 60s and has stayed relevant to this day. What I didn't know about the 'femme fatale' is what I found from contributors on Genius music (I use this all the time for insightful explanations): "Edie Sedgwick was an American socialite, actress, and model that came from a very wealthy and prestigious family. She was a part of Andy Warhol’s “factory” crew, and became one his closest friends and muses as Warhol brought her to fame." I think that this tribute to a friend and inspiration makes for the perfect song and gives a deeper meaning to a tale of a heartbreaker and 'take no prisoners' woman that is depicted here. 11. I Put A Spell On You by Annie Lennox - Classic. Breathtaking. Magical. Three words that describe this song and specifically the Lennox cover of this song. Something about the way the high chords of the keyboard are struck in the beginning of the piece is so gratifying, I just knew I would be in love with listening to this in the first few seconds. Honestly, and I never thought I would be saying this but, I have to thank whoever put together the 50 Shades of Grey film because that is the reason the cover of this song exists, which is kind of annoying. Nonetheless, it thankfully exists, and tells about a man who cannot be faithful to the woman who is telling the story in the song. So, she puts a spell over the man so he will not leave her and remains faithful to her instead. Despite having such amazing music to go behind it, this is such a wicked sentiment and fits perfectly with the season. 

12. Found Love In A Graveyard by Veronica Falls - This song is really, really sad. And I wasn't sure I was going to include it because it is really striking and makes me feel very emotional due to the intense meaning behind it. But, I think that music is, yes, supposed to uplift you and put you in a good mood, but not always. Sometimes, songs have a power to touch the things deep and dark inside of us that are untouchable by anything else, and this is a beautiful concept; sad, but still beautiful. The minor and eerie chords and drumbeat that start the song off with the discordant "ooohs" let us know this is not going to be one of those sunny, uplifting songs, but one of the darker ones. This piece can very well be about the literal sense of finding love in a graveyard with someone who is no longer alive, but I think it's about finding love in someone who is not present in one's life and wanting them so much but not being able to have them anymore. Listen with caution if you are already in your feelings. 

13. Zombie by The Cranberries - Let me paint a picture for you: it was summertime five years ago. A thirteen year old girl who was just discovering her musical genre for singing and listening alike stepped onto an outdoor stage in mid-June. The heavy guitar of a somber rock song come on and she begins to sing; surprise, the song is this one, and the girl is also this one who is writing to you. This song particularly has had more influence over my own writing and singing style than any other in this mix, both because it is beautifully metaphorical and because it is truthful to the point of tears in some respects. The song tells about the Troubles which occurred in Northern Ireland between the unionists and nationalists, the tensions and violence which spanned over decades and literally tore families apart. Dolores O'Riordan, the writer and singer of this song said, "This song is our cry against man’s inhumanity to man, inhumanity to child."

14. Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Picture Show - Not going to lie, I first heard this song and saw the scene performed when I was 12 and discovered the wonderful television program that is Glee. After that, though, I further investigated the chaotic goodness that is the Rocky Horror Picture Show and became enamoured with the explicit messages of open sexuality, breaking social norms and utter weirdness that makes up the show. This song is the most recognisable from the show, but by no means diminishes the other pieces that are performed. If possible, I really suggest either seeing a live performance or watching one online because all of the different characters, which you can hear in the recording are produced on the stage; the visuals make all the difference in the holistic experience of listening and I think in this instance, enhances the value you will hold with the song particularly the ever shifting point of views and voice sounds exhibited.

15. Werewolves Of London by Warren Zevon - First and foremost, all credits for this song being in my life go to my father because I have been listening to this with him since before I could write, much less write about music on a blog for my friends and family. Because it was such an integral part of my music experience from a young age, I enjoy examining not just what it means, but what it means to me.  The song is based on the 1953 film "Werewolf Of London" and if you haven't seen it, I recommend the viewing of this, because it's a really good movie, but either way you can enjoy the song separately because it stands on it's own. It describes and details a werewolf doing all normal human behaviour and a man meeting him and being like "wow this is really strange". Even just the first line of the song depicting a werewolf getting chinese food at the store is so funny and strange, and then talks about in the next lines a woman being mutilated by werewolves. I love the contrasting images outlined in this piece with such a simple 3-chord progression that is so catchy. 

16. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) by Jimi Hendrix - The distortion of the guitar in the intro for this track is so awesome, I cannot get enough of it and it is quintessential Jimi Hendrix  classic rock. Hendrix's gruff and raw rock voice comes through amazingly in this song and tells us a story about psychedelic experience of exaggeration with voodoo practice that was popularized especially during the 1960s and 1970s. The image of chopping a mountain down with the edge of one's hand presented in the first verse suggests that this is a drug induced experience in which the narrator is having an out of body vision of this happening, or so we can assume (I don't think Jimi chopped down a mountain, but who knows). As for the much iconic phrase 'voodoo child', I attributed this notion to the feeling of some of the African heritage and cultural spirituality that centers around practice of voodoo which has traced back through centuries. The intervention of God given to shamans or mediums, the servants of the spirits, results in a magic of spiritual nature. 

17. Blood In The Bathtub by Bonny Doon - I think the only scary thing pertaining to this song is the title and matching phrase that is repeated in the chorus of this low key song, but otherwise it is really of a loving, sensitive nature for year round enjoyment. Again, the guitar in this song is so present and the riffs included are indicative of some blues inspiration which is really nice and adds a lot of colour. As for the meaning, I ascertained that the speaker feels bad about his actions towards the end of his and the subject's relationship and is trying to explain his feelings about their demise. The aspect I appreciate about this song is that the speaker isn't trying to get back or win the affection of the subject, but instead agree that they have the right to leave and be lost or confused, which is a really valid feeling. The blood can be many things, but I like to see it as an impurity where the goodness (water) of the relationship was supposed to be. 

18. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) by David Bowie - I often find that this spectacularly strange man can describe feelings that we all have in surreal ways no one would think to, yet do it so precisely we can't help but love it. This is a description I found online for the piece that I think is really perfect and I couldn't say it better myself: "The song title was inspired by a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes ad campaign: “Scary Monsters and Super Heroes”. It describes the feelings of an obsessive man when he gets a shy girlfriend. Though his influence on her initially works out well for the relationship, it becomes too much for her. She soon becomes a recluse, leaves the man, and descends into madness, seeing all strangers as ‘scary monsters’." I love this thought of being terrified of strangers and can relate on days in the city when I don't feel like talking to anyone.

19. Monster by ALASKALASKA - A new song for this mix, which was hard because surprisingly, not many artists cater to the halloween aesthetic genre of songs. I impose the thought that we need some bands/artists that only write for this holiday and season because I want more halloween music, not just the same old same old. This song is not about making someone else the monster, but the other way around of someone making you out to be a monster in order to place blame and flip the script. If you've ever been in a relationship where someone uses an ugly aspect of you in and twists the conversation to make you look bad, you can definitely relate to this song. The electro indie sounds in this song which are discordant and not so pretty go perfectly in line with the songwriter's intentions of meaning, in my opinion. 

20. Which Witch by Florence + The Machine - A bonus track and a demo from the How Big How Blue How Beautiful album and quite possibly my favourite song from the album at the same time. This song makes so much sense coming from Welch because she exudes the witchy nature in every way and writes about pagan nature and deity folklore a lot in her music which is so outside the realm of regular music that we are used to, which makes her so likeable and a force in the music industry. This track describes a two fold witch trial: one in the realistic and historical sense of witches being put on trial for having sinister ways and doing unexpected things for women for their time period. The other is her having her heart put on trial for loving in a way that was not desirable from her lover, even though she never tried to hide what she was. Now that she is escaping from the relationship, she explains she has no regret for what has happened, no matter what the man says in retaliation to her opinions. 

Thanks for listening and reading!

See you next week,

Julia

[halloweendailynews]

A new Halloween movie is finally upon us, and it was well worth the nine-year wait, as director David Gordon Green and his co-writers Danny McBride and Jeff Fradley have delivered one of the best horror sequels ever made, in a timely story of unresolved trauma and the return of The Bogeyman.

I’ve watched Halloween 2018 three times as of this writing, and I enjoyed it more with each viewing, and so after a few weeks of thinking about it, it’s time to dive in to my full review. In this case, the following does contain quite a few spoilers, because, honestly, you’ve had almost a month to see the film. (If you’re reading this for my recommendation as to whether you should see the film, just know that I highly recommend you go see it right now. …And then come back here and read the following review).

Let’s start with the score, the most visceral link between this new film and director/composer John Carpenter’s 1978 original Halloween. Carpenter’s new score for the 2018 film not only brings updated versions of the classic themes we all know and love, but also channels all of the best parts of other classic Carpenter soundtracks. By the time Daniel Davies’ electric guitar first screams in the film, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

The first thing we hear over the studio logos is a dark, intensely foreboding intro. The revisited themes are all familiar but now have a new, relentlessly driving urgency, hurtling viewers toward an epic, inevitable climax.

My favorite track from the 2018 soundtrack, “Prison Montage” creates an atmosphere of complete dread for what’s about to happen, while on screen shots of Michael boarding the bus transporting the patients of Smith’s Grove Sanitarium are intercut with Laurie Strode seeing The Shape for presumably the first time in 40 years from a distance. And there’s the haunting voice of Dr. Loomis (voiced by Colin Mahan), not the voice of Donald Pleasence that we remember, but a more weary and hollow, distorted recording of the Loomis we once knew, absolutely resigned to the fact that “It has to die.”

From the opening credits to Laurie Strode’s eventual reunion with Michael Myers, the film does an amazing job of subverting our horror-ingrained Halloween-obsessed expectations while at the same time paying significant homage to the very tropes that the original Halloween created 40 years ago.

And how can fans not love all of the Easter eggs, so many loving references to the entire Halloween franchise?

P.J. Soles, who starred in Halloween ’78 as Lynda, has a classy off screen cameo as the voice of young Allyson Strode’s unseen high school teacher, and the devil costume worn by Oscar, played by Drew Scheid, is a callback to the she-devil costume memorably worn by Samantha, played by Tamara Glynn, in Halloween 5.

And Laurie Strode’s bedroom, where much of the finale takes place, is itself an exact recreation of the Doyle house bedroom where the first film ends.

We knew from the trailers that the Silver Shamrock masks from Halloween III would make an appearance, and it was indeed amazingly surreal to see, this being the first time that Season of the Witch has been acknowledged in any way since “Mrs. Blankenship” was featured in 1995’s The Curse of Michael Myers (Curse writer Daniel Farrands told me that “Mrs Blakenship” is “Minnie Blankenship” in this interview).

And of course Allyson’s asshole boyfriend Cameron Elam, played by Dylan Arnold, is the son of longtime Haddonfield asshole Lonnie Elam, who bullied poor Tommy Doyle in the first film and was last seen getting scared away from the Myers House by Dr. Loomis.

Those are just a few of the many shout-outs to past Halloween movies that are featured all throughout Halloween 2018, which only enhance the film’s re-watchability.

And speaking of doctors, let’s talk about Dr. Sartain, played by Haluk Bilginer, who we told you would be a new Loomis-like character following Nick Castle’s Q&A in February. I’d still say that Laurie is really the “new Loomis”, but Sartain serves as sort of an abbreviated, extreme version of what these new filmmakers see as likely happening to Dr. Loomis, at least to some level. Loomis was admittedly obsessed with Michael after just 15 years with him, and Sartain is certainly obsessed with him after (presumably) close to 40 years with him.

And while Sartain’s twist is definitely the biggest WTF moment of the film, even that in itself is a bit of an Easter egg too, isn’t it? Halloween is easily the crown jewel of all modern horror franchises, but it has a long history of WTF moments throughout the last four decades, some that have been eventually embraced over the years (Halloween III), and others not so much (The Man in Black), but Sartain’s WTF moment is not really that huge when compared to all of the others. And you have to admit, you did not see that coming. (We were all expecting Ben Tramer Version 2.0, right?)

On repeat viewings, you’ll notice more of how Sartain allows, almost urges, journalists Aaron and Dana to provoke his most notorious patient, and on the eve of his transfer to a new facility where the doctor does not want to think about Michael being. And there’s the odd coincidence that the transfer takes place on the night before Halloween. And you will rightly wonder just how much of what transpires next was part of Sartain’s plans all along.

This is my favorite portrayal of the Laurie Strode character ever put on screen. In a career-defining performance that more than anything honors the legacy of one of the greatest survivors in movie history, Jamie Lee Curtis has never been better. This is a heartbreaking portrait of a woman who has never fully developed into a whole person because of the horrific events that happened to her on Halloween night in 1978. And when it starts happening again, 40 years later, her worst fears, and at the same time a chance at rewriting her own narrative’s ending, are realized.

As Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson, Andi Matichak is very much the modern version of what Laurie was in 1978, instantly likable in her everyday manner, understandably questionable of both sides of her mother and grandmother’s strained relationship, looking beyond the today that her friends live in to try to find her place in a larger picture, very much on the verge of adulthood.

And The Shape? James Jude Courtney’s portrayal does exactly what he told me he did (read our interview here), channeling the space created by Nick Castle in 1978, inhabited by Dick Warlock in 1981 and all the other actors since, to tap into the essence of the simple, focused, violent existence, rather than humanity, of Michael Myers. It’s all there, from the head tilt to the walk, and when fused with Nick Castle’s recorded breathing and cameos behind the mask, it makes for a damn perfect portrayal of The Shape.

Michael has never been deadlier, creatively brutal enough to evoke memories of Rob Zombie-directed kills, and yet silently cunning, the trickster that creatively displayed the dead bodies of Laurie’s friends for her to find in 1978, who enjoys terrorizing his victims as much if not more than actually murdering them. And he’s back to being a random source of tragedy, the kind of tragedy that we see hitting random people every day on the nightly news in real life in 2018.

The subtle yet ever-present social commentary threaded throughout the film is another tribute to Carpenter, but also a testament to the decades old truth that horror always reflects the current fears of the audience.

The new mask, an aged update on the original, created by a team led by Christopher Nelson (read our interview here), Vincent Van Dyke, and Justin Mabry, is haunting, soulful, and creepy as hell.

Over the years, I’m sure the biggest criticism about this film will be that it is essentially a remake of Halloween H20 , which it is, though I’d say it is much more a third version of Halloween II, and in a franchise that has already done this disregarding of previous chapters, it’s yet another choose-your-own-adventure option to take following the first film. No matter where you place it in official canon, it’s undeniable that Halloween 2018 is one of the best sequels in the franchise, and I’d say one of the best sequels, period.

A totally entertaining tribute that honors 40 years of Halloween, Michael Myers is back, and Haddonfield has never felt more like home.

Halloween 2018 is currently in theaters.

[Read our interview with Rhian Rees on the fear and female power of Halloween 2018 here.]

[Read our interview with James Jude Courtney on playing Michael Myers in Halloween 2018 here.]

[Read our interview with Nick Castle on reprising Michael Myers in Halloween 2018 here.]

[Read our interview with Christopher Nelson on making Michael Myers’ mask for Halloween 2018 here.]

I think the new film will ignore everything after Part 1. Laurie is the new Loomis, claiming for 40 years He’s coming back. Then He does.

— Halloween Daily News (@HalloweenDaily) September 17, 2017

For more Halloween news, follow @HalloweenDaily.

'Halloween' 2018 Brings Michael Myers Back Home [Review] A new Halloween movie is finally upon us, and it was well worth the nine-year wait, as director David Gordon Green and his co-writers Danny McBride and Jeff Fradley have delivered one of the best horror sequels ever made, in a timely story of unresolved trauma and the return of The Bogeyman.

[highbuttonsports]

Sens split with Habs, struggle with Oilers as team looks to gain traction

Sens split home and home with Habs

The Ottawa Senators wrapped up their forgettable road trip in Montreal last week, where they managed to escape with 2 points against the surging Canadiens. Ottawa came out strong in this contest and played well against the Habs, a team who has offered up some perhaps unexpected legitimacy as a contender in the stacked North Division. This was the finale to the road trip that Ottawa needed – a couple bounces here and there, tremendous goaltending from Matt Murray and they were able to pull this off. Don’t get me wrong – this team has a long way to go and they were largely outplayed for most of this game, but this is promising and an undeniable step in the right direction. Ottawa did what they need to do – be a difficult team to play against. The team came out quick, physical and disciplined. The introduction of top D prospect Erik Brannstrom to the lineup was crucial in helping the Senators clean up their breakout with crisp and clean passes. Followed by clean neutral zone play, the first period was much better than what the team showed on the west coast. I know what you’re thinking – the team collects 2 points and all of a sudden, the holes are patched. This is not the case. Ottawa was outplayed for most of this game, both in time of possession and shots which finished 38-22 in favour of Montreal. Coach DJ Smith has mentioned numerous times that his team has been spending too much time in the defensive zone this season, something that Erik Brannstrom helped with although that same theme rang true in this one. A positive from this – the Stanley Cup champion version of Matt Murray has arrived in Ottawa. Murray was very solid in this one, coach DJ Smith spoke to his confidence and improved communication with his defensemen as factors that have lead to his improved play. Even with all the time spent in their own zone and large shot total, Murray was solid – as you can see from the shot charts.

The shot chart above tells the story perfectly for the Senators in this game. The defensive play was solid, but the chances for the opposition are many and high-quality chances at that. Murry was the backbone of the team in this one, a not so unexpected narrative that Sens fans should get used too. Nonethless, it was a good bounce back win that this club really needed – the monkey is off the back.

Daccord, Chlapik to Belleville while Gustavsson, Logan Brown to taxi squad

Sunday morning the Senators announced that Logan Brown is on his way to Ottawa to join the Taxi squad. In a resulting move the Sens announced that forwards Filip Chlapik and Matthew Peca have been assigned to Belleville. Chlapik dressed for just one game this season while Peca did not see any game action, now they head to Belleville to play supporting roles to the Senators future. Logan Brown sees himself join the taxi squad – a new feature for NHL clubs that was introduced this season to assist with the inevitable roster-mania that COVID has caused. Brown has had his fair share of peaks and valleys in his young career however, he now finds himself an opportunity that he has to take advantage of if he wants to be a part of the future of the Senators organization. The young centre has fumbled his opportunities in the past, with coaches citing lack of responsibility and low effort levels as reasons for his short stints with the big club. It also didn’t help when Brown’s agent, Andy Scott, went behind Brown and the teams back to publicly voice his clients alleged displeasure with the teams handling of the prospect. Brown has since relieved Scott of his duties. Since being drafted 11th overall in the 2016 entry draft, Brown has tallied a grand total of 9 points in 29 NHL games. We are approaching 5 years since he has been drafted, and he has played 29 games. Let’s look to a player like Nick Suzuki. Suzuki was drafted one year after Brown at a similar pick, 13th overall. Suzuki was force fed opportunities which were likely overwhelming at times, but he listened, learned and has grown into one of the leagues most intriguing young centres. Brown has yet to be trusted enough to be even crack the top 9 let alone top line minutes. In Ottawa, we’re talking about a club who has noted their desire for a bonified number one centre numerous times, they went early on Brown and he has not panned out. This begs the follow up question – why? Why has the 6’6 playmaking centre not been able to put anything together at the NHL level? Brown is less than one month from his 23rd birthday and has the biggest and most important opportunity to date right under his nose. Coach smith told the media that they intend to have Brown participate in a few full practices before cracking the lineup, I’m targeting Saturday in Winnipeg for Brown’s season debut. 

One day after the Logan Brown announcement, the Sens announced that they have sent goaltender Joey Daccord to Belleville and have recalled Filip Gustavsson to the taxi squad. At the forefront this is puzzling move, but comments by coach DJ Smith later that day made some sense of the transaction. Daccord was always targeted as Belleville’s starting goaltender to start this campaign, and the decision to have him start the year with Ottawa on the taxi squad was simply to prevent him from idling. Daccord had a chance to practice with NHL teammates for nearly two months including training camp, which means more time with the Sens defenders, Matt Murray and goaltending coach. This experience is immeasurable and so important to a young player. On the flip side of this transaction is Filip Gustavsson. Ottawa now has the slightly more experienced net minder on the taxi squad should they need to use him, and Daccord gets to go to Belleville to catch his stride and gain some pro experience.

Another road trip

Deep breaths and positive thoughts. Sens fans nationwide need to take deep breaths and have positive thoughts as the team heads out on another tough road trip – because frankly, we know how the last one went. This is a fast moving and hectic schedule; teams are coast to coast on what seems like a weekly basis. This is the fan in me coming out – just be hard to play against. The last trip to visit the western teams was abysmal. The Senators need to grasp that grit and intensity they have shown of late and pack that in their suitcase for the trip. DJ Smith would never admit it, but let’s face facts, a strong game on the ice but coming up short on the scoresheet right now is OK. We’ll take that. We’ll take a high compete level, the greasy goals, the kids learning on the fly – these are things this team needs right now. This team does not need 2 points every night. (mind you that would be a nice side dish, of course) I would love to see this Stützle – Norris – Batherson line more. Let them work, this could be the first line 8 years, hell 2 years from now. This road trip offers challenge, but opportunity as well. An opportunity for the club to write their own narrative and get back to being that gritty Senators team that Ottawa can be. 

Let’s chat this time next week.

Derek Friesen

[go-redgirl]

Mueller’s Questions for Trump Show the Folly of Special-Counsel Appointments New York Times ^ | May 2, 2018 | ANDREW C. MCCARTHY

I am assuming the authenticity of the questions that Special Counsel Robert Mueller reportedly wants to ask President Trump. The questions indicate that, after a year of his own investigation and two years of FBI investigation, the prosecutor lacks evidence of a crime. Yet he seeks to probe the chief executive’s motives and thought processes regarding exercises of presidential power that were lawful, regardless of one’s view of their wisdom.

If Bob Mueller wants that kind of control over the executive branch, he should run for president. Otherwise, he is an inferior executive official who has been given a limited license — ultimately, by the chief executive — to investigate crime. If he doesn’t have an obvious crime, he has no business inventing one, much less probing his superior’s judgment. He should stand down.

The questions, reported by the New York Times, underscore that the special counsel is a pernicious institution. Trump should decline the interview. More to the point, the Justice Department should not permit Mueller to seek to interrogate the president on so paltry and presumptuous a showing.

When should a president be subject to criminal investigation? It is a bedrock principle that no one is above the law. The Framers made clear that this includes the president. But, like everything else, bedrock principles do not exist in a vacuum. They vie with other principles.

Two competing considerations are especially significant here. First, our law-enforcement system is based on prosecutorial discretion. Under this principle, the desirability of prosecuting even a palpable violation of law must be balanced against other societal needs and desires. We trust prosecutors to perform this cost-benefit analysis with modesty about their mission and sensitivity to the disruption their investigations cause.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com

TOPICS: Breaking News; Editorial; News/Current Events KEYWORDS: andymccarthy; mueller; muelleroutofcontrol; muellerquestions; trump

COMMENTS:

To: reaganaut1

I’m surprised the Slimes would publish this.

2 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎40‎:‎34‎ ‎AM by Signalman

To: reaganaut1

Trump is brilliant. IF he goes before Mueller, if I were he, I would demand that the circumstances had to be the same as the circumstances of Hillary’s interview with the FIB.

3 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎40‎:‎40‎ ‎AM by originalbuckeye ('In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act'- George Orwell.)

To: reaganaut1

Trump ought to just outright refuse to answer such "what were you thinking" questions. Any judge who says "you must answer" should be told that separation of powers is a thing and he has no right to compel the president to do anything other than follow the law, which he did. Stick to objective facts only.

It's time to draw a line in the sand and refute this idea that unelected judges are the ultimate power in this country. This could be the test case. A lot of Americans would agree with Trump that some random low level judge shouldn't have the power to force the President to come and justify all his actions to him.

To: reaganaut1

Oh, the link is to NR, not the Slimes.

5 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎43‎:‎28‎ ‎AM by Signalman

To: reaganaut1

Two competing considerations are especially significant here. First, our law-enforcement system is based on prosecutorial discretion. Under this principle, the desirability of prosecuting even a palpable violation of law must be balanced against other societal needs and desires.

The Democrat-MSM believes that the ultimate societal need and desire is that they be in power; as a result, the removal of PDJT is an overriding priority and imperative. 6 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎43‎:‎34‎ ‎AM by Steely Tom

([Seth Rich] == [the Democrat's John Dean])

To: reaganaut1

It is all a conspiracy to “Get Trump”. Conceived by CIA leaders, Justice Department “law enforcers”, and State creatures at the direction of Obama and Clapper.

 7 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎43‎:‎42‎ ‎AM by Rapscallion

(Mueller is in on a conspiracy to frame the President. Stand by Trump.)

To: Signalman

Sorry, I goofed. I reported the error to the moderator.

8 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎44‎:‎43‎ ‎AM by reaganaut1

To: reaganaut1

It is obvious that the swamp is trying to create a crime where no crime existed. They have nothing and have to try to legally trip up the president to get something. Of course the court is in public opinion anyway so this is all theater for the midterms.

The only real surprise now is that Mrs Smith's third grade class from Peoria hasn't requested the local DA file criminal charges in a federal court, as a publicity stunt.

9 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎50‎:‎41‎ ‎AM by pfflier

To: pepsi_junkie

Let a judge try to order Trump around or hold him in contempt. Who is going to arrest Trump? The US Marshals who are under his command? The FBI who is under his command?

Obama had no problem protecting his subordinates from Congress or the courts by using his executive power. The least Trump can do is protect himself.

10 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎51‎:‎56‎ ‎AM by Boogieman

To: reaganaut1

The GOP - including Speaker Paul Rino - are on board with this coup. Republican leaders warn Trump against firing Mueller, Rosenstein "House Speaker Paul Ryan said special counsel Robert Mueller "should be left to do his job."

11 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎53‎:‎06‎ ‎AM by Cheerio

(#44, The unknown President)

To: reaganaut1

The question has to be addressed: Is Special Counselor Mueller the Supreme Authority in the government?

Which government employee has the authority to clothe Mueller with that kind of authority if he does not have it himself?

Rosenstein’s latest comments about going toe-to-toe with Congress suggest he might think that he in fact has that authority.

12 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎53‎:‎47‎ ‎AM by odawg

To: odawg

Rosen needs to be slapped down. Hard.

13 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎56‎:‎25‎ ‎AM by Eric in the Ozarks

(Baseball players, gangsters and musicians are remembered. But journalists are forgotten.)

To: Boogieman

Let a judge try to order Trump around or hold him in contempt. Who is going to arrest Trump?

Side note: contempt of court is a pet peeve of mine. Would we accept it if a President announced in a meeting that the didn't think the person he was meeting with was properly deferential and had him tossed in jail until he apologized? No, we would call that President a tyrant. Yet judges do that all across America all the time and we just shrug. That bothers me.

14 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎57‎:‎47‎ ‎AM by pepsi_junkie

(Russians couldnt have done a better job destroying sacred American institutions than Democrats have)

To: reaganaut1

Trump should forthwith call Mueller to the Whitehouse, gather all the the Whitehouse Media folks, then bring Mueller into the assembled media room and face to face tell Mueller, “Sir, as of this very moment, you are fired...your services are no longer required”. “I hear the DNC is most eager to hire your sorry egomaniac butt, good luck, we wish you well, goodbye and, please do not let the door hit you as you walk out the door in total disgrace and disloyalty to your country”!!!

15 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎11‎:‎07‎:‎19‎ ‎AM by JLAGRAYFOX

(Defeat both the Republican (e) & Democrat (e) political parties....Forever!!!)

To: reaganaut1

Andy's assumption for the sake of discussion is spot on. I doubt seriously that Mueller would have exposed his attorneys to such ridicule for the exposing the nature of those questions. If proven, it demonstrates the bias in spades.

More likely ---says the speculation - that Trump's attorney (Sekula ) prepared a list of subjects that he would be probed if he were to submit to the interview.

The questions, indeed the goal, is the same, but to admit it for all to see is not likely. Again, I'd love to be proven wrong.

16 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎11‎:‎08‎:‎51‎ ‎AM by chiller

(If liberals didn't have double standards, they'd have none at all.)

To: reaganaut1

‘More to the point, the Justice Department should not permit Mueller to seek to interrogate the president on so paltry and presumptuous a showing.’

Hahaha. McCarthy needs to open his eyes —it’s the DOJ that is cheering Mueller on.

17 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎11‎:‎11‎:‎11‎ ‎AM by Fantasywriter

(Any attempt to do forensic work using Internet artifacts is fraught with pitfalls. JoeProbono)

To: originalbuckeye

I would demand that the circumstances had to be the same as the circumstances of Hillary’s interview with the FIB.

You assume Mueller will behave by any "standards" - he will not. This is a political hit job - use those conditions only to judge what Mueller is up to. Whatever Trump tells him will either be eventually leaked, or it will simply be used as a ricochet to lead to some other investigation, charge or headline-creating narrative. 18 posted on ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎11‎:‎14‎:‎04‎ ‎AM by PGR88

[papermoonloveslucy]

Lucy in London

October 24, 1966

Synopsis

Lucy Carmichael wins a trip to London in a jingle contest.  It is a whirlwind, one day tour, with Anthony Newley as her guide.  They visit such landmarks as Madame Tussaud's, Carnaby Street, London Bridge, the Palladium Theatre, and an English country manor.  On her tour, Lucy gets to sing with the Dave Clark Five, act Shakespeare with Peter Wyngarde, and model mod fashions to a Phil Spector song!  

Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carmichael) was halfway through her fifth season playing Lucy Carmichael on “The Lucy Show” (1962-1968).  

Anthony Newley (Anthony Armstrong Fitz-Faversham) was a London-born actor and singer who was perhaps best known for his collaboration with Leslie Bricusse on the film scores for Doctor Doolittle (1967, in which he also appeared) and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1970, in which he also appeared singing the break-out hit “The Candy Man”). In April of 1966, just a month before “Lucy in London” filmed but before the special was aired, he released the film version of Stop the World - I Want To Get Off, a musical which he wrote (again with Bricusse) and starred in as Littlechap in London and New York.  In 1965, he starred on Broadway in another musical he co-wrote with Bricusse The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd. 

Anthony Armstrong Fitz-Faversham is Lucy's tour guide from Royal Luxury Tours Ltd.

Frank Thornton (Customs Official) will be forever remembered as Captain Peacock, the imperious floor walker on “Are You Being Served?”  He was also well known for playing Truly for 13 years on “Last of the Summer Wine.” Thornton died in 2013 at the age of 92.

Winifred Hyde White (Hawkins, Madame Tussaud's Guide) was a Gloucestershire-born actor who will probably be best remembered as Colonel Pickering in the 1964 film My Fair Lady. He was twice nominated for Broadway's Tony Award as Best Actor in 1957 for The Reluctant Debutante, and in 1973 for The Jockey Club Stakes.

James Robertson Justice (Madame Tussaud's Manager) was known for his bushy beard and booming voice.  He is perhaps best remembered as Lord Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1963). 

The Dave Clark Five (Themselves) was an English pop rock group made up of Dave Clark, Lenny Davidson, Denis Payton, Mike Smith, and Rick Huxley. Their single "Glad All Over" knocked the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" off the top of the UK Singles Chart in January 1964.  In 1966 they were regular performers on TV's “Shindig.”  

Peter Wyngarde (Himself / Petruchio) was born in France to an English father and French mother. Lucille Ball personally asked Wyngarde to appear in the special having seen him on Broadway in Duel of Angels starring Vivien Leigh in 1960 (while she was appearing in Wildcat). She was said to have been smitten by him, and was determined to find a way for the two of them to act together.

“Lucy may’ve thought I was kidding, but if she wanted to play this straight she would be a marvelous Kate. Her looks are absolutely right as is her vitality. And she’s a good enough actress to be able to do it.” – Las Vegas Sun, October 23, 1966

Edna Morris (Woman at the Shakespeare Festival) was a Lancashire-born actress whose screen acting career began in 1946 at the age of 40.  

Dennis Gilmore ('Pops' the Stage Doorman) was a Middlesex-born actor whose screen career spanned from 1953 to 2010.

Joby Blanshard was a Yorkshire-born actor who was seen on stage and screen from 1954 to 1986. He is perhaps most famous for playing Colin Bradley in 32 episodes of the early 1970s 'science-fact' series “Doomwatch.”

Jenny Counsell has just three other screen credits (as per IMDB) the last of which was an uncredited appearance in Carry On Again Doctor (1969).

Bonnie Paul was the step-daughter of Burl Ives.

John Stone was a Welsh character actor and playwright.

Twiggy was born Lesley Lawson.  She became the world's number one model at the time, so named for her slender figure.  Twiggy eventually turned to acting on both stage and screen.  

Chrissie Shrimpton was a model who (at the time) was dating Mick Jagger. She is the sister of Vogue model Jean Shrimpton.

Jenny Boyd was a fashion model and the sister of Pattie Boyd, who was then married to George Harrison of the Beatles. Boyd left modeling and took up transcendental meditation.

Samantha Juste became known on British television in the mid-1960s as the "disc girl" on the BBC’s “Top of the Pops.” In 1968 she married Micky Dolenz of the Monkees.

Roy Rowan (announcer) was the off-camera announcer for every episode of “I Love Lucy” as well as “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.” He was also the voice heard when TV or radio programs were featured on the plot of all three shows. He made a couple of on screen appearances as well. 

This special was part of Lucille Ball's 1966-67 contract negotiations with CBS. She was supposed to star in three such 'travel' specials, but this is the only one that was ever realized. Ball originally planned to co-star with Mitzi Gaynor as two nuns touring Europe, followed by a French-based production called “Lucy in Paris,” and a Middle Eastern-set comedy called “Lucy in Arabia” or “Lucy in the Desert.”

This CBS special (in color!) first aired on October 24, 1966 in “The Lucy Show” time slot, but because it ran one hour, it pre-empted “The Andy Griffith Show.” 

This script was written by Ron Friedman and Pat McCormick.  This is Friedman's only time writing for Lucille Ball.  Also in 1966, Friedman was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for an episode of “The Danny Kaye Show.”  McCormick went on to write one episode of “Here's Lucy” in 1969. The special was co-produced and choreographed by David Winters, who had played A-Rab in the 1961 film West Side Story.

The budget for the special was $500,000.  It came in under budget.  

The special was produced and directed by Steve Binder, who specialized in award shows, concerts, and TV spectacles.  It was sponsored by the Monsanto Company.

Regular Lucy viewers may remember that Lucy Ricardo went to London during season 5 of “I Love Lucy” although the cast and crew never left Hollywood to film, as they do here.  “Lucy in London” was Desilu's first international film project, not counting some second unit footage of Cuba and Mexico gathered for “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”  Like Lucy Ricardo, Lucy Carmichael also visits the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and spends some time at an English country manor home located just outside London.

This special was a follow up to “The Lucy Show” episode “Lucy Flies to London” (S5;E6), which was filmed in September 1966, four months after the May location shooting of “Lucy in London.”  Lucille Ball later said that May was her favorite month anywhere in the world.  “Lucy Flies to London” (S5;E6) was shot completely at Desilu Studios in California, while “Lucy in London” was shot completely on Location in and around London.  

The cast was supposed to include actor Laurence Olivier, but he withdrew from the project before filming began. Lord Olivier was mentioned on “I Love Lucy” in “Lucy Meets Orson Welles” (ILL S6;E3).  

Lucille Ball went through 15 different wigs during the production. Cleo Smith, Ball's cousin and the executive in charge of this production, later recalled that problems arose in photographing the star on the London locations, where the use of heavy stage make-up and filtered lighting that was employed for her studio-based program could not repeated. Ball's biographer Geoffrey Mark Fidelman would later remark that the actress "looked old" throughout the show due to difficulties in establishing flattering lighting for the outdoor sequences.

Under the supervision of Cleo Smith, Desilu sent a second unit crew ahead to film scenes with doubles of Lucille Ball and Anthony Newley as they traveled through London and environs on their motorcycle and sidecar.  

The special is divided up into acts, like a play, with titles on the screen – in Old English font, naturally!  

The opening sequence of Lucy stepping off the Pan Am jet used only still photos shot by Life Magazine's Bob Willoughby. His photographs were used in a montage format until Lucy meets her tour guide when traditional film storytelling begins.  Director Steve Binder says that this was a creative decision due to the notoriety and artistry of Willoughby, not a cost-saving measure. The sequence also reflects a typical tourist like Lucy's snapshots of their trip, an idea reinforced by the fact that Lucy wears a camera around her neck for much of her time in London.

The sequence involving Lucy de-planing from the Pan Am clipper jet had to be accomplished in between flights already on the tarmac at Heathrow. No planes were available to be grounded for a day of shooting. Coincidentally (or perhaps not) Pan Am (which is no longer in existence) was also the carrier when Lucy Ricardo flew home from Europe and from Miami to Havana on “I Love Lucy.”  

To ensure that Heathrow and other London locations were accessible to the film crew, a former Buckingham Palace official with the proper 'connections' was engaged by Desilu.  It is unclear whether anyone was 'bribed' to open doors, but some locations did charge a user fee, which Desilu gladly paid. When Desilu asked about police protection for Lucille Ball during their shoot near London Bridge, Scotland Yard replied that they didn't do that for anyone – not even the Queen!  They did, however, guarantee that if the crew did not block traffic and cause any pedestrian problems, they would be sure all went well. 

Newley sings “On a Wonderful Day Like Today” as he zooms off on his motorcycle with Lucy in his 'top drawer' sidecar.  A chorus of schoolgirls on bicycles join in singing “The Beautiful Land.” Newley then sings a bit of “Sweet Beginning” as they drive through Piccadilly Circus. These songs are all from the musical The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd, which Newley co-wrote with Leslie Bricusse and starred in on Broadway in 1965. This is the show that gave Cleo Smith the idea to cast Newley, who only had a two week opening in his Doctor Dolittle shooting schedule to film the special with Lucy.

On the banks of the Thames, Newley quickly sings a bar of “What Kind of Fool Am I?” a song he wrote and performed in Stop the World – I Want To Get Off.  Speaking of banks, Lucy says she works in a bank back home where “her boss” makes her report at 8am. Interestingly, not much of Lucy Carmichael's home life is discussed other than this.  

The stunt where Lucy and Anthony Newley sink into the River Thames was supposed to be shot in another location due to the fact that the Thames was reported to be polluted. At the last moment, Lucy decided it was funnier to actually do the stunt on location, despite the risks involved. As she did in “Lucy at  Marineland” (S4;E1) and various other times in her career, Lucy did the stunt herself, not employing a stunt person or effects.  

As Lucy and Tony's punctured raft is sinking in the Thames, Newley salutes the Union Jack and sings a chorus of  of “There'll Always Be an England,” an English patriotic song written in 1939 by Ross Parker and Hughie Charles, and famously sung by Vera Lynn.  In “Lucy Flies to London” (S5;E6), the episode of “The Lucy Show” that preceded this special, Mr. Mooney quotes the same song, dreading his secretary's frenetic presence in England's capital city.

Bronx-born singer / songwriter Phil Spector was commissioned to write and perform the title song “Lucy in London,” to which is set a montage of Lucy in and around London wearing mod fashions.  A demo single of the song was recorded by Spector, but never released.  The song comes about 15 minutes into the special and mentions The Dave Clark Five, who have actually not performed yet on screen. The montage features Lucy in mod fashions of the time and has cameos by top fashion models like Twiggy.  The musical montage ends Act I.  

Several scenes were cut for time. The first was Lucy stepping out of Mary Quant's London boutique Bazaar with packages and mod sunglasses. She gets into Newley's sidecar and the two drive off.  

The second involved Newley donning a tall black fur hat and demonstrating to Lucy how silly the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace is. Both scenes turn up on the “Lucy Show” season 5 DVD documentary about the special.  

Another scene was filmed where Newley takes Lucy for a lunch of fish and chips, riding on a bicycle built for two. Only still photos remain of the scene which had Lucy trying to talk like a Cockney to a genuine London-born chip stall owner.

Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum was (and still is) one of London's busiest and most popular tourist attractions.  The production was only allowed to film inside once the museum was closed and the last tourist had exited the building. In the Museum sequence, a wandering Lucy gets separated from her tour guide (Winifred Hyde White) and must be led to the Chamber of Horrors by the manager (James Robertson Justice) to catch up with her group. The scene called for a frightened Lucy to hit him over the head with a bottle.  The production supplied candy glass prop bottles for the stunt, but somehow Lucy managed to pick up an actual glass bottle and Justice had to be hospitalized for stitches.  Presently, Madame Tussaud's Wax Museums in New York City and Las Vegas feature figures of Lucille Ball as Lucy Ricardo.  

Before they go inside the waxworks, Newley teases Lucy that inside she'll find Cleopatra and her Mark Antony.  Lucy played Cleopatra onstage back in Danfield with Viv as her Mark Antony.  Before going in Newley says “TTFN.” When Lucy asks what that means, he replies “Ta ta for now.”  TTFN was a favorite expression of Winnie the Pooh's pal Tigger.  The voice of Tigger, Paul Winchell, guest starred on “The Lucy Show” just prior to this special.  He once claimed that it was his idea to have Tigger say TTFN.

Inside the museum, Lucy tweaks the nose of Prince Philips' wax 'figger'. Prince Philip was mentioned recently in “Lucy with George Burns” (S5;E1) and several times on “I Love Lucy.”  She also sees waxworks of Napoleon and Josephine. On an episode of “Here's Lucy,” Lucy Carter and Harry (Gale Gordon) play Napoleon and Josephine during a séance.

Great Fosters (not Grace Fosters!) is an English country manor from the Tudor period located in Egham, Surry, just outside of London.  There is evidence that the de Imworth (later Fosters) family lived there as early as 1224. Now under the ownership of the Sutcliffe family, the historic building became a hotel in 1930, as it remains today, hosting tourists, wedding parties, and those looking for fine dining. When Lucy arrives they are hosting a Shakespeare Festival at their theatre in the gardens. Lucy brags to one of the actors (Peter Wyngarde) that she did Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing in high school.  Lucy and Wyngarde rehearse a scene from The Taming of the Shrew with Lucy as Kate (her only line is “Never!”) and Wyngarde as Petruchio.

After Lucy flees taming by 'Petruchio' and runs from Great Fosters, Anthony Newley jokingly does an imitation of Stan Laurel saying “Well, Lucy, that's another fine mess you've gotten us into.”  

In front of Lucy, Newley, and The Dave Clark Five (in morning suits and top hats) perform a medley of “London Bridge is Falling Down” and “Pop Goes the Weasel.” It is interesting to note that the London Bridge seen in the background is the old London Bridge (1831-1967).  A year after filming, this bridge was dismantled and sold while a new version (that still stands today) was built to replace it.  The old London Bridge was reassembled in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, opening in 1971, where it remains the number one tourist attraction.

In Act IV, pulling up to the London Palladium, Lucy and Tony see the marquee for a show called London Laughs starring Harry Secombe, Jimmy Tarbuck, Thora Hird, Freddie Frinton, and Russ Conway.  Instead, however, Newley takes Lucy to The Scala Theatre on Charlotte Street, off Tottenham Court Road. The theatre opened in 1903 seating 1,139 and boasts a large stage. Three years after “Lucy in London” filmed there, it was destroyed by fire and demolished.  Today the site is the location of an apartment block.

On the Scala stage, the special takes a slightly surreal turn with Newley suddenly presenting a full scale musical one-man show with lights, scenery, costume changes, and orchestra.  He first sings “Fine Day in London” then “I'm Gonna Build a Mountain” (from Roar of the Greasepaint). He follows with “Once in a Lifetime” from Stop the World and “Nothing Can Stop Me Now,” also from Greasepaint.  

During “Look at That Face” (Greasepaint) he sings directly to Lucy, the Queen of Comedy, “the face that the world adores” and she becomes the Queen of England sitting in the Scala Theatre’s royal box. He ends the medley with “This Dream” (Greasepaint) and Lucy becomes the (male) orchestra conductor. After Newley leaves the stage, Lucy reappears as an Eliza Doolittle-type flower girl sitting in the front row of the balcony eating a piece of fruit.  

The special then takes on an even more dreamlike quality with Lucy on stage doing a pantomime in a spotlight. It looks like Lucille Ball is wearing the same over-sized suit that she wore as the Professor in the “I Love Lucy” pilot and “The Audition” (ILL S1;E6).  The very end of the special, still on the Scala stage, singing about her “One Day in London” Ball seems to drop the Lucy Carmichael character and speak directly from the heart as she addresses the camera.  It is some of the most moving acting Ball has done on television thus far.

Although nominated as Best Actress in a Comedy for “The Lucy Show,” Lucille Ball was not able to attend the Emmy Awards Ceremony on May 22, 1966 as she was filming “Lucy in London.”  In any case, she lost to Mary Tyler Moore in “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”

Viewership was high for the special (finishing as the most-watched telecast of the week) but critical responses were very poor, with Variety complaining: "What had promised to be one of the season's major specials turned out to be a major disappointment." Perhaps because of this, Ball opted not to pursue the creation of the remaining two specials in her contract. If the critics did not approve of her stepping outside of what she was known for, she would give them more of what they expected.  

“Lucy in London” was aired just once – on October 24, 1966 - and was not seen again until  the DVD release of the official fifth season of “The Lucy Show” as bonus material. As with “The 'I Love Lucy' Christmas Special,” “Lucy in London” was not included in “The Lucy Show” syndication package and is not counted in the official episode tally.  

Although this special marked the only time Lucille Ball was seen on a London stage, after more than 50 years Lucy will once again be in London (sort of) when Lee Tannen's autobiographical play I Loved Lucy returns to London’s Arts Theatre during the summer of 2017. Sandra Dickinson plays Lucy and New Jersey's own Matthew Scott is Lee.  

“Lucy in London” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5  

[kansascityhappenings]

The Chiefs and Patriots are plenty familiar ahead of this Sunday’s showdown

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs have been dominant against the AFC West since Andy Reid’s arrival in 2013, winning so often against their most frequent opponents that it’s little surprise they’re close to wrapping up a third straight division title.

The Chiefs should be just about as familiar with the New England Patriots by now.

The Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots meet at the 50 yard line for the coin toss during the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 20, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

But their record against them isn’t nearly as good.

In fact, the reigning Super Bowl champions have become the nemesis of the Chiefs and Reid.

New England has knocked Kansas City from the playoffs twice in the past four seasons, including an overtime defeat in January’s AFC title game, and beat Reid’s best Eagles team in the Super Bowl after the 2004 season.

“I think they know us and we know them. You get in and you battle,” Reid said. “We’ve played them quite a few times here over the last few years. It just comes down to execution on both sides of the ball and on special teams. Playing good, solid football. Make sure we take care of our business.”

The Chiefs and Patriots are only assured of playing each other when the AFC West matches up with the AFC East every three years.

But their number of meetings has gone up considerably in recent seasons, coinciding with the rise of the Chiefs and the continued excellence that Bill Belichick and Co. have established in New England.

The teams played 11 times over a 30-year span from 1981-2011. They’ll be playing for the sixth time in five years when they meet in a potential playoff preview Sunday in Foxborough.

Damien Williams #26 of the Kansas City Chiefs jumps for a catch against Elandon Roberts #52 of the New England Patriots in the second half during the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 20, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

“I’m sure he would tell you the same thing,” Reid said of Belichick, one of his longest-standing friends in the business. “You enjoy the challenge every week in this thing. That’s what we do. There is nobody better than he is. But he would also probably tell you, like I would, that he and I aren’t playing. Our guys are playing. So we have to get them prepared.”

There’s truth in that sentiment. But it’s also a convenient way for Reid to gloss over his rather shoddy record against Belichick: He’s won twice in nine meetings, and is 0-3 in the playoffs.

None was more frustrating than when Reid was with Philadelphia. The Patriots and Eagles were tied 14-all after the third quarter in Jacksonville, just 15 good minutes away from a Super Bowl championship, only for New England to score the next 10 points and hang on for a 24-21 victory.

The second-most frustrating may have been this past January.

After rolling to home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, the Chiefs welcomed the Patriots to Arrowhead Stadium for the AFC title game. They fell behind 14-0 at halftime but made a series of crucial adjustments and took a 28-24 lead with just over 2 minutes left in regulation.

New England answered with a go-ahead touchdown from Rex Burkhead in the final minute, and the Chiefs forced overtime when Harrison Butker drilled a 39-yard field goal in the closing seconds.

The Chiefs had the momentum up until the moment they lost the coin toss.

The Patriots fielded the opening kickoff of overtime and methodically marched downfield against the Chiefs’ lackluster defense. It took them 13 plays, nearly 5 minutes and the help of a crucial penalty on then-Chiefs linebacker Dee Ford before Burkhead plunged in for the winning touchdown.

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense never got an opportunity with the ball.

Sony Michel #26 of the New England Patriots rushes for a 1-yard touchdown in the first quarter as Anthony Hitchens #53 of the Kansas City Chiefs attempts to tackle him during the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 20, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

“Obviously when you lose to a team,” the MVP quarterback said, “you’ll want to beat them the next time you play. I remember being on the sideline and having full confidence the defense was going to make the stop and they got really close on several times that drive.

“You never have that defeated feeling,” Mahomes added, “until after the game is over.”

Reid and Mahomes both made it clear this week that despite the familiarity the Chiefs and Patriots have established over the years, they expect to see something different on Sunday.

The Patriots are the best in the league at throwing change-ups, and Mahomes acknowledged they’re “going to have stuff that we didn’t necessarily prepare for. They’re going to do stuff they haven’t done in two or three years.”

Then again, Belichick expressed similar sentiments about the Chiefs this week.

“Just watch them play. I mean, they roll up and down the field against everybody,” he said. “Andy’s a game-plan coach. He’s not going to do the same thing every day, every week. He’s not going to keep running the same plays over and over. That’s not what they do. They attack defenses, and each week is a little bit based on how he matches up against those teams and what they do.”

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports https://fox4kc.com/2019/12/06/the-chiefs-and-patriots-are-plenty-familiar-ahead-of-this-sundays-showdown/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2019/12/06/the-chiefs-and-patriots-are-plenty-familiar-ahead-of-this-sundays-showdown/

[torentialtribute]

MARTIN SAMUEL: Confounding and thrilling… why a Test on the final day has no equal

So what's your favorite sport? In this position you lose the number of times you are asked that question. And most people who broach the subject probably feel the answer. You are going to say soccer. And I love soccer.

Always different, always the same, as John Peel said about The Fall. But I also like rugby and hockey and baseball and a good fight. I love everything well done. I was even dragged by the weightlifting at the Olympic Games.

Still nothing matches Test cricket – or let me reformulate it. None of this is Test cricket on the last day, perhaps the last session, when the best part of your week is invested in the competition. Nothing is Headingley 2019 or Adelaide 2010 or Edgbaston 2005. Or even Karachi in 2000.

England duo Nasser Hussain (right) and Graham Thorpe (left) celebrate their victory over Pakistan

Let me tell you about Karachi, because it explains a lot. I was the lead sports writer of the Daily Express, not long-termed, and flew away hoping to get an interview with the English captain, Nasser Hussain. He wouldn't do it. He was a miserable beggar then, much nicer now.

The series was also right after two draws, so it was all on the last. Pakistan kneaded a first inning of 405 in total and on the second day, England came in and Mike Atherton started to hit. And bat And bat He was not close, with Hussain, who played a little slower than milking.

Michael Henderson, a brilliant cricket correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, among others, knew Atherton well enough for a rather surprising intervention. He drafted a letter that he poked under Atherton & # 39; s door in the hotel of England.

It was announced that Saturday was Henderson's day off and planned to visit Karachi & # 39; s market that morning looking for carpets.

However, he would sit in the press box after lunch and if Atherton was still beating and batting the way he made his night, he would stand and loudly boo him from the front of the stand all afternoon.

There were not many in the National Stadium that week. Any expression of dissatisfaction would certainly be heard.

The response to this ultimatum was a call from bluff. Not only did Atherton not change pace, Hussain became slower. Atherton & # 39; s 50 lasted three hours and two minutes, Hussain & # 39; s four hours and 17 minutes.

Close by, England had made 198 more runs. No one even wanted to go boo. This would complete the boring draws.

One family correspondent had to fly home prematurely for family reasons and no substitute was sent in his place. The guy from a Sunday newspaper packed himself to return home for Christmas at the office. At the end of a stunning day four, I had no idea what to write.

The cricket correspondent would record the match as it was. My task was to find a theme, a problem, a point of discussion. There were none. There was an available flight mid-morning on the last day.

I took a quick vox doll from colleagues & # 39; s. Is there a chance of a result? Is there a chance of a change? For a man, the best observers of the game advised me to save myself. Nothing would happen in Karachi on day 5.

I stayed because you never know. And at lunch, when the game got closer, there was a lot of fun at my expense. I could have broken out. I could have been on my way. Instead, I was watching here – wait a minute, what am I watching?

For those last hours, the most amazing thing happened. The game has shifted from this swamp of everyday life. There was a small chance that England would win. Ashley Giles and Darren Gough skimmed Pakistan, and England were set at 176 at a speed of four per lake, given the time remaining.

Pakistan then went on a go-slow match throttling. Saqlain Mushtaq took eight minutes to throw one, Waqar Younis took four minutes to settle the field. The hero of the hour was referee Ranjan Madugalle, who used the tea break to emphatically inform Pakistani captain Moin Khan that these overs would be completed, whatever.

Towards the end, Pakistani field players complained that they turned down the winning points in almost darkness when Graham Thorpe. It was the kind of light that you only played as a child in the backyard. Five more minutes and they should interrupt the game.

And against this bleak pressure, England won their first series in Pakistan for 39 years. Of course Atherton & # 39; s 125 in nine hours and 39 minutes earned him the man of the match. It was completely compelling, completely exciting. It was one of the biggest things I saw on a sports field.

However, in the near darkness England changed the game and won in the most compelling fashion

Why? Because so much was invested in it at the time. Just as much was invested in Headingley in 2019 or 1981, or when a test competition reached an insane conclusion.

There are so many moments when a game is ebbing and flowing in one of three directions, so many nuances, passages of complete boredom, followed by sparks of a wonderful life.

You would think a certain session contains the key to the whole game, only to discover a red herring. For example, who would have thought that Friday morning and England & # 39; s 67 all-in this week would not be the most important phase of the game?

Who would have thought that Jofra Archer & # 39; s six for 45 would not be the highlight of England's performance?

For five days, Test cricket has many more options for confusing, wrong footing and surprising. It is a sports team that exerts great pressure on individuals.

Football analysts talk about players hiding & # 39; hiding & # 39 ;. There is nowhere to hide in cricket. Nowhere to hide, even to the greatest test batsman in the world, Steve Smith, nowhere to hide when he threw the ball at Ben Stokes.

Cricket rewards the strictest technology, but also the most casual flair. It has elements of grace and beauty, but also shocking, visceral danger. It rejoices in softness and deception, but also in energy and brute force. And those who play it also love it.

Even in a numb defeat on Sunday, there was a feeling that the Australian players knew they were 50 percent of one of the biggest matches the sport had witnessed. That bowling from England for 67 was an achievement, and one that increased Stokes' performance, and therefore the story.

Players who also invest in the test arena. The white ball game, the Cricket World Cup, can be great, but it can never match the required concentration as the long form unfolds.

Perhaps, with football, familiarity disregards. There is so much of it, and at elite level, so much that it is good that we are almost full.

Ben Stokes again the star of the show in another stunning win for England this summer

Tottenham defeated Ajax in the final minute of a Champions League semi-final and it was the biggest comeback since – well, the night before when Liverpool faced withdrew a deficit of 3-0 against Barcelona, ​​with 4-0.

Then there are deadlines from a personal perspective. Most of the best memories – the 2003 Rugby World Cup final, Andy Murray & # 39; s first Wimbledon victory, Stokes at Headingley, the squares without squares that protrude Canada eight hundredths of a second in Athens – have time by their side .

Football has Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and Leicester and the Nou Camp in 1999, but it is also loaded with late kick-offs and hectic rewrites. Too busy to report it to view it is no joke.

I was present for the Miracle of Medina in the Ryder Cup, which took place after midnight British time. One day it would be nice to find out what the hell happened there.

Cricket test is different. It can be inhaled, luxuriously consumed during the best part of a week.

So when after all this time it comes down to one session, or one over, or one wicket or like on Sunday – one man, makes the difficult progress on that point all the more exciting.

So, as an answer to the question, my favorite sport is Test cricket. Some people find it boring. And sometimes it is. But that is also a bit of the point.

Poch refuses to face facts

Mauricio Pochettino is an intelligent man. So it always seems bizarre that he is neat when he is examined for team selection in the aftermath of the defeat.

& # 39; If the score was 3-0, you wouldn't ask me, & # 39; he said Sunday, he asked why Christian Eriksen did not start. And yes, when a manager wins 3-0, every call is justified.

But the score was not 3-0.

It was 1-0 for Newcastle and Tottenham had no creativity. So, does Pochettino no longer judge Eriksen? Does he want to sell Eriksen? Is he trying to make the player unhappy so that he makes a bid for the European transfer window deadline?

And what advantage would that be for Pochettino, given that he cannot recruit a replacement with the money? It makes no sense – although it does not fail to equate results and talks.

Christian Eriksen shows his frustration during Tottenham & # 39 ; s shock 1-0 defeat by Newcastle

Game passes through Wilshere with

It is no pleasure to report that West Ham will not play for the second consecutive season. competition match won until Jack Wilshere was absent from the starting line-

Both times, the club won its first appearance without Wilshere scoring three goals. Manuel Pellegrini has faith, but Premier League football is steadily passing Wilshere.

It seems that he needs months more than weeks to make a match and no club can afford to wait that long.

] Aluko story has yet to be fully told

Eni Aluko says that many of his English teammates have never apologized for not supporting his claim of racism against Mark Sampson and his treatment by the football association.

She has written an autobiography and says it was low to see her former colleagues race to celebrate a goal with Sampson when the accusations were at their peak.

There is never a convincing explanation for that given public support. Why were the players still behind their manager? And why, even now, don't they support Aluko?

Perhaps more than one book on this subject is needed to make both sides of that story come true.

Eni Aluko & # 39; s autobiography includes his claim to racism against former coach Mark Sampson

Maxine Blythin, the transgender cricket player with ambitions to represent the women of England, also plays at club level for a local men's team.

For Chesham second XI she has an average of 15. For her ladies team, St. Lawrence and Highland Court, her average is 129.

On the weekend, Blythin did not make 145 against Ansty, who all 155 were out. Her figures in the 2nd XI cricket for men suggest a clear average talent. Transported to the Women & # 39; s Southern League Premiership, however, she becomes a star and a county player for Kent.

Blythin identifies a woman, which is her right. However, only those in complete denial would refuse to grant these serious problems around the future of women's sport.

Right to Separate Serena and Ramos

It is very understandable that Referee Carlos Ramos and Serena Williams were held apart this year during the US Open.

It was Ramos who provoked Williams there spectacular loss of control there last season when he dared to treat her like any other player. "You will never, never be to another court of mine, as long as you live," Williams raged.

And not Ramos. Some think the United States Tennis Association has been swept away, but a Williams game with Ramos in charge would have become a circus. To be honest about her, the referee and the opponent, it was best to lie.

As long as it is remembered who was responsible for this unfortunate state of affairs.

was not a Ramos.

Serena Williams (right) argued infamous with referee at Carlos Open

Are EFL after an expert in failure?

The favorite for the football league's chief executive is Jez Moxey, now CEO of Burton Albion, but best remembered for his time in a similar role with wolves.

As such, he helped bring the club to League One with a £ 25m payroll bill because it was not expected that players' contracts would have to be cut in the event of relegation.

It was also Moxey who spoke about establishing Wolves in the Premier League as a priority, in the same season that they fell out.

Yet at least he appointed the man who started to change the club, Kenny Jackett – even though he was Wolves' fifth manager in 16 months at that time. These are difficult times for the Football League and understanding why some clubs turn into absolute disaster areas would come in handy.

Maybe this is what makes Moxey the front runner, it is a subject that he is certainly well versed in.

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[flauntpage]

There’s Blame to Go Around – Ten Takeaways from Saints 20, Eagles 14

The Birds were up 14-0 and lost 20-14.

That’s a crappy way to go out when you consider how well they started this game.

Funny thing about social media –

I don’t think anything remotely reasonable is said on Twitter or Facebook in the 30 minutes after a tough Eagles loss. It’s just reactionary and emotional stuff, people full of piss and vinegar and Bud Light who are looking for an argument. It’s more or less a cesspool of non-dialogue, but what’s fascinating is to explore the dichotomy among fans who were blaming the offense for the loss versus fans blaming the defense.

It’s true that the Eagles were poor on a number of third and long situations last night, and they allowed the Saints to put together some back-breaking long drives on more than one occasion. That’s factual information that we can verify with our own two eyes. Empirical data and whatnot.

But if you told me before the game that the Eagles defense would hold the Saints to 20 points in the Superdome, I absolutely would take that. You would have taken it, too. We all would have, because New Orleans only scored less than 21 points at home on one other occasion this season, which was when they rested their starters in week 17.

Seriously.

Last night was probably the best defensive performance by an opposing team in the Superdome this season, because Teddy Bridgewater vs. the Panthers in the season finale doesn’t count.

This loss is on the offense, which put up 14 points against the NFL’s 29th-worst pass defense. You can’t go 2-7 on third down in the dome and expect to win the game. You can’t waste a timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty early in the third quarter. You can’t blow the few opportunities you get in a road playoff game against the NFC’s top- seeded team.

There’s blame to go around, but the scales are tilting much more towards the offense than the defense after that performance.

It was a fun ride though, for real. I wrote a bunch of sardonic shit earlier this season, saying that the Birds were done, they were cooked, they’re gonna finish 7-9, yadda yadda yadda. They proved me wrong, probably proved you wrong, and put up a really nice fight while falling just short of the NFC Championship game. That’s pretty damn good for a team that looked to be dead and buried on more than one occasion this year.

All that’s left for us to do now is cheer on Andy Reid, because I sure as hell don’t want Sean Payton, Bill Belichick, or Sean McVay winning the Super Bowl.

Barf.

1) Nick Foles

18 for 31, 201 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception that was his fault, and 1 interception that wasn’t his fault.

He just wasn’t good enough. He was under-throwing and over-throwing guys from quarter two through four, which is weird to me because he nailed Alshon Jeffery on a fantastic back-shoulder throw in the first quarter and dropped that touchdown pass for Jordan Matthews right in the bread basket. I don’t know what changed or why his accuracy waned as the game progressed.

I went through some of the condensed replay film and didn’t see anything that really suggested what the problem was. He didn’t totally step into a couple of throws, but on other occasions he was similarly back-footish and completed his passes. He wasn’t “forcing” throws I don’t think, but Nick just looked like he was having trouble putting the right amount of loft on the ball after that first quarter.

Case in point, the interception:

The thing that kills me about that play is that the Saints dropped eight guys into zone coverage. It was a three man rush, so you’ve got Lane Johnson 1v1 on the right and a pair of double teams elsewhere on the line. I know Nick isn’t a runner, but he could probably have climbed the pocket there or hit Wendell Smallwood in the flat. He saw something over the top and just didn’t put enough air under it, which is almost the opposite of what he did on the Matthews TD pass earlier in the game, which was a back-foot, “let me put it where my guy can get it” type of throw.

The Matthews over-throw towards the end of the game was another one that jumped out:

He just missed him. The Saints blitzed but the protection was clean enough.

I guess this brings the Foles vs. Wentz thing to an end. Or does it? I have no idea. I think we’re stuck with that forever.

2) Offensive shortcomings

Let’s play a game.

It’s called “compare how the Eagles did on Sunday to the opponent’s season averages.”

I wrote last week about how the Birds had a shot to really redeem themselves after Carson Wentz threw up that three-interception clunker in week 11.

That was predicated on these mediocre New Orleans season averages:

14th in total defense (349 yards per game)

29th in pass defense (269 YPG)

14th in scoring defense (22 points allowed per game)

22nd in first downs allowed (20.8 per game)

24th in opponent third down conversion rate (41.3%)

29th in yards per pass allowed (8.1)

26th in completion percentage allowed (67%)

27th in limiting opponent passer rating (100.3)

Look good right? The Birds should have been able to find some wiggle room attacking the Saints secondary, but here’s how they did in each of those categories:

250 total yards

201 passing yards

14 points

15 first downs

28.6% on third down

6.5 yards per pass

58 completion percentage

61.4 passer rating

That’s it. They Eagles finished well below the Saints’ defensive averages in all eight of those categories, which was incredibly disappointing. They opened the second half with a 14-10 lead and the ball and proceeded to go three plays for six yards and punt the ball right back to New Orleans, which set up the Saints’ game-winning drive.

3) A great performance, other than…

The defense more or less fought like hell but just couldn’t get off the field, which resulted in the Saints running 71 total plays vs. the Eagles’ 47. The time of possession margin was again ~37 minutes to ~23 minutes, which is absolutely brutal.

Here’s what the Saints did with their drives:

one play, zero yards, interception

three plays, zero yards, punt

seven plays, 23 yards, punt

twelve plays, 79 yards, touchdown

four plays, 12 yards, punt

seven plays, 67 yards, field goal

eighteen plays, 92 yards, touchdown

eight plays, 62 yards, field goal

ten plays, 41 yards, missed field goal

(end of game)

Drive #4 required a fake punt and a 4th down conversion to score a touchdown, so of course you have to give credit where it’s due. This is one of the best offenses in the league, playing at home and executing while down by 14 points.

But just looking at that 18-play drive specifically, you allowed a 1st down on a penalty, allowed a 3rd and 1 and 3rd and 16 conversion, and couldn’t take advantage of two penalties on their offensive line, penalties that moved them back into a pair of 2nd and 20 situations on the same drive. That was the killer there, the fact that they couldn’t turn two holding calls into a punt or field goal.

4) “Bringing pressure”

A lot of talk about Jim Schwartz and his scheme last night.

Here’s who he’s got in the secondary:

Josh Hawkins (pulled off the scrap heap)

Rasul Douglas (2nd year dude on a bum ankle)

Avonte Maddox (rookie)

Cre’Von LeBlanc  (pulled off the scrap heap, but played a fantastic game)

Malcolm Jenkins (veteran Pro Bowler)

Corey Graham (veteran backup)

Tre Sullivan (backup dime safety)

What would you like Schwartz to do with this group?

I’m not trying to be an asshole, I promise. I’m just not sure what kind of options he really has. You can play dime and blitz Nigel Bradham. You can throw a safety blitz, maybe.

You risk a lot if you blitz in front of that patchwork secondary group, because if you don’t get there, you’ve got guys like Maddox and Hawkins 1v1 with the likes of Ted Ginn Jr. and Michael Thomas.

Geoff made some sense after the game:

Jim Schwartz didn't blitz on 3rd-and-16. Bradham doesn't make a play he should've made. Schwartz gets killed for not blitzing.

Very next third down, Schwartz blitzes, Brees find Tre'Quan Smith for 15 yards. And Schwartz is still getting killed.

The guy can't win.

— Geoff Mosher (@GeoffMosherNFL) January 14, 2019

Let’s look at the two plays Geoff is talking about. Here’s the 3rd and 16:

I have more of a problem with the defensive line configuration there. I know you’re forcing 1v1s on the strong side of the field with three guys lined up on the left, but it’s just too easy for Drew Brees to step through the hole behind the left guard and climb the pocket instead.

I mean, look at this:

You can’t throw that cheese against somebody as good as Brees. That’s the easiest pocket climb he’ll ever make, with all four linemen totally bypassing him and getting caught too far down the field.

But Geoff is right; Bradham did have a chance to make a tackle there. He was in position.

Clip two glitches for some reason, so my apologies, but here it is:

They rush six, Brees spots a 1v1 against Avonte Maddox immediately, and the ball is out before anybody gets there. That’s less than 2 seconds from snap to throw. I tried to time it on my phone a couple of times, and while I’m prone to human error, I stopped the clock at 1.81 seconds.

Shrug. I dunno man, they had chances to get off the field in different looks and different situations, and they didn’t do enough of it. Drew Brees is good against zone and he’s good against the blitz. I’m not sure what else Jim Schwartz could have done.

5) Injuries part 2

What is it about the Superdome? It feels like bodies just pile up in that place.

Injuries in the first Saints game:

Jason Kelce (elbow)

Rasul Douglas (knee)

Sidney Jones (hamstring)

Avonte Maddox (knee)

Jordan Hicks (calf)

Rick Lovato (concussion)

Injuries in this game:

Brandon Brooks

Fletcher Cox

Rasul Douglas

Jason Peters

Brandon Graham

Michael Bennett

Some of these guys were in and out of the game. Some finished and some didn’t, but losing your Pro Bowl right guard in the first half sucks. Losing your Pro Bowl defensive tackle for some plays sucks (ironically Cox drew a flag on his first play back on the field). Losing your left tackle in what seems like every game this season also sucks, but I’ll leave it to Russ to comment on Jason Peters.

6) the Zebras

I wrote down nine things regarding the officiating:

Taunting on Tim Jernigan: seemed like a pretty straightforward call because he was standing over the guy and yelling at him

Brandon Graham non-fumble: easy review that the booth got correct, as did Dean Blandino in his consultation

Rasul Douglas 3rd quarter pass interference: ehhh, I mean, I dunno.. they were letting guys get away with a lot of things in the secondary last night, but flagged this for some reason

Saints 3rd down conversion in 3rd quarter: Keith Kirkwood hooked Malcolm Jenkins on a pick play and was not flagged. He literally reached out and grabbed him with his arm.

holding against Haloti Ngata: correct call and wiped out a touchdown

holding on Max Unger on same drive: bogus call against the Saints as Treyvon Hester was falling to the ground almost immediately after the snap

3rd down pass to Golden Tate: sure looked like face guarding to me, but I honestly think Golden needed to do a better job of selling that or fighting for the ball to get the flag

pass interference on the Saints in the 4th quarter: well, the guy did grab Zach Ertz and wrap him near the line of scrimmage

roughing the passer on Marcus Davenport, 4th quarter: I dunno.. we’d be complaining about that if it happened to the Eagles, right? He got Nick high, but hit him more in the neck area and didn’t exactly strike him in the face

Can’t blame the refs for this loss, but I’m sure Angelo Cataldi gave it a try this morning.

7) Value in the margins

Weekly entry. Last one for the season.

Let me start by going through the auxiliary battles from the first game, the 48 to 7 loss back in November:

lost time of possession, 37:30 to 22:50

-3 turnover margin

3-10 on third down (30%)

0-2 on fourth down (0%)

allowed Saints to go 6-11 on third down (54.5%) and 1-1 on fourth down (100%)

lost 18 yards on 3 sacks

0-1 success rate in the red zone

6 penalties for 49 yards

Pretty brutal, that game.

Here’s how the Eagles fared on Sunday:

lost time of possession, 37:50 to 22:10

-1 turnover margin

2-7 on third down (28.6%)

0-0 on fourth down (N/A)

allowed Saints to go 8-15 on third down (53.3%) and 2-2 on fourth down (100%)

lost 0 yards on 0 sacks

1-1 success rate in the red zone

4 penalties for 30 yards

Third downs and time of possession really killed them in both trips to New Orleans.

Combine those games and the Eagles went 5-17 on third down for a 29% rate. The Saints went 14-26 for a 53.8% mark and finished 3-3 on 4th down tries. That’s pretty much why they controlled the clock in such a lopsided fashion against an Eagles team that finished top-three in TOP this year.

New Orleans committed 11 penalties for 84 yards last night and the Eagles didn’t do enough to take advantage of that.

8) Doug’s best call?

I really liked the QB sneak for the touchdown. Seemed like a very obvious call at the time, a “let’s not over-think this” type of call.

That’s the only one that jumps out to me..

9) Doug’s worst call?

The timeout before halftime was because the Eagles weren’t lined up properly. However, the Saints might not have gotten that play off in time, with the clock at three seconds before they could get everybody in the right spot:

Upon further review, holy shit what a great timeout called. pic.twitter.com/4bgqCTOJvt

— Brian Coulter (@PhilaBCoulter) January 13, 2019

Probably best to just give the Eagles the benefit of the doubt there.

People were also talking about whether or not to accept the penalty prior to the fake punt. I think declining the penalty is the proper call, because you’ve got the opponent backed up on 4th and 1 in their own territory, down two scores. It’s a risky play and the Saints converted it, but if they fail you’ve got a two touchdown lead, a ton of momentum, and the ball in the their half of the field.

The timeout on the opening drive of the second half was really bad though. Andy Reid school of clock management there. Just take the 5 yard penalty and save those timeouts for the end of the game. That was a killer.

I’m also not sure why Eagles were rushing to get a play off before the two-minute warning. They had 27 yards to the goal line and plenty of time to get there. The objective was to score without giving Brees time to march down the field for three points.

10) The broadcast

Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis, and Pam Oliver.

Burkhardt is fine. No problem with him.

Davis is a strange one, because I think he’s decent as a color guy, but at times it just feels like he’s beating me over the head with analysis. I think he just has to pace himself a little more, if that makes sense. It’s like he’s punching me in the face after every play when sometimes I just need a bit of a break. He’s one of those guys who, while you appreciate what he does, makes you feel like you need a cigarette after the game, even if you’re a non-smoker.

Broadcast-wise, there were fewer shots of Carson Wentz, which I appreciated. He’s not in the game, so why show him 40 bazillion times? I think the only thing that bugged me was the several times Foles and Jeffery were described as “basketball guys,” which is whatever. I get it. Nick throws it and Alshon goes up and gets it.

The commercials were pretty mediocre as well. I feel like commercials get worse every year. My mom used to press the mute button during every commercial break and I feel like that’s a good life lesson that I should have picked up on.

Anyway, go Chefs!

The post There’s Blame to Go Around – Ten Takeaways from Saints 20, Eagles 14 appeared first on Crossing Broad.

There’s Blame to Go Around – Ten Takeaways from Saints 20, Eagles 14 published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

[thrashermaxey]

Ramblings: The Carolina Conundrum; Top 20 RFAs; Fantasy Impact of Contracts (July16)

  My condolences and the condolences of this entire community go out to the family of Ray Emery, who passed away Sunday when he drowned while swimming in Hamilton. He had not yet turned 36 years old, my goodness.

Emery had a friendly but fiery personality that was a welcome change from the usual blandness of carefully PR-trained NHL players. He played 287 NHL games and was 145-86-28. His best season was in 2006-07 with Ottawa when he started 58 games and was 33-16-6 with a 0.918 SV% and 2.47 GAA. At the time he was 24 and the world really was his oyster. But injuries derailed him – specifically a serious hip ailment – and he could never find a rhythm, never playing 35 NHL games in a season again. But just coming back at all from this particular hip injury was by many accounts a miracle. His last NHL team was the Flyers in 2015, but he did play for the Marlies two years ago. In 2013 he won the William Jennings Trophy along with Corey Crawford, and he’s a two-time finalist for the Bill Masterton – and he got to raise the Stanley Cup with Chicago in 2013.

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Working hard on the Fantasy Guide. It’s out on August 1 but you can always pre-order it!

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Going over Carolina for the Guide and this lineup may be the most fluent of all of them when it comes to the group of forwards. The wildcards here are twofold. First off are the players who need to clear waivers in order to be sent down, but they won’t get through. Valentin Zykov and Lucas Wallmark. Second, is Martin Necas. The Canes don’t have a No.1 center and it’s wrong of them to throw Necas there at 19 years of age. But he’s ready to make the team and they need him. Wallmark, arguably Charlotte’s best player and a former fourth-round pick, is ready to make the jump. Zykov, who led the AHL with 33 goals and had seven points in 10 games during his NHL audition, is also ready. Andrei Svechnikov is also ready. Other factors to consider is the fact that Sebastian Aho was tried out at center for the final three or four weeks of the season. Of the current Carolina roster, the players who took the most faceoffs last season were, in order: Jordan Staal (1338), Victor Rask (716), Aho (172). So you almost have to put Wallmark in there. Can’t waive him and it would be stupid to sit him.

But what if Necas is absolutely lights-out in training camp? He’s already clicking with Svechnikov in prospects camp – what if he leaves Carolina no choice?

Here’s what I know: Staal is the team’s best defensive forward; Wallmark could make the team but is not ready for anything beyond the third line; Necas is probably ready for the second line but it would be too much to ask of him to take over the top line; Staal is only one guy – he can’t be their No.1 center and their shutdown guy; Rask was in over his head last year and I don’t think he is even a top sixer. Third liner, to me.

I guess if Necas doesn’t make the team, you could have Aho at center and lines looking like this:

Teravainen – Aho – Svechnikov

Skinner – Rask – Williams

McGinn – Staal – Ferland

Martinook – Wallmark – Di Guiseppe

Zykov is the 13th forward.

  And if Necas does make the team, you could see:

Teravainen – Staal – Aho

Skinner – Necas – Svechnikov

McGinn – Rask – Williams

Ferland – Wallmark – Martinook

And Di Giuseppe becomes the 13th forward. Zykov 14th – which is another way of saying he’ll be Josh-Leivo’ed. There is a domino effect with either scenario. Staal is a 40-point player in one scenario, a 55-point player in another. Necas is a prospect in one scenario, and a Calder contender in another. Rask bounces back to 45 points in one, or his value continues to dip in the other. Skinner was stuck with weak linemates last year and in the first scenario here that doesn’t change. In the second scenario – it does. This is what I consider, review, analyze with each team. And being wrong on one thing messes with a lot of other things. Maybe a Carolina die-hard fan has further thoughts on this in the comments below.

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On a side note, Wallmark’s contract that he signed last week is a two-way deal this year, one way deal next year. More on this stuff below.

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Some contract news, only the fantasy notables:

Phillip Danault signs a three-year deal with the Habs for just over $3 million per season.

Oliver Bjorkstrand signs a three-year deal with the Jackets for $2.5 million per season.

Michael Kapla signed a one-year deal with the Devils, Taylor Leier signed with the Flyers, Daniel O’Regan with the Sabres and Michael Bunting/Hudson Fasching/Laurent Dauphin with Arizona, Andreas Johnsson signed with the Leafs, Morgan Klimchuk with the Flames – each for one year.

Of note, Leier’s contract is a one-way deal. However, it’s a couple of the two-way deals I want to point out. Johnsson with the Leafs  and O’Regan with the Sabres. Johnsson has to clear waivers in order to be sent down and he’s already proven time and again that he’s NHL-ready. I already have him as a lock to make the team. Why he signed his two-way qualifying offer was strategic – he’s banking on a full NHL season so that he can cash in next year. Meanwhile, my hunch is that Kyle Dubas was thinking about how to get him to sign for two or three years – and I wonder if Johnsson signing his qualifying offer caught him off guard. The Leafs will never – never – waive him no matter how horrible his training camp is. I like his thinking there.

O’Regan would have been in tough to make the Sabres and he can still be sent down without clearing waivers. So he’s as good as off the team to start the year. But he has nothing left to prove in the AHL.

Another interesting one was on Saturday when Nicholas Baptiste signed a two-way deal with the Sabres. He has to clear waivers and I was having trouble fitting him into the Buffalo lineup (much like Carolina, as I noted above). He played 33 games for the Sabres last year but the team is significantly more crowded this time around. And I think he’s behind Justin Bailey in terms of the depth chart – Bailey also has to clear to be sent down, is also a right shot, is bigger (6-3, 214) and was drafted higher (52nd overall versus 69th overall) and I think those things make a difference when teams prioritize who they want to see succeed more. And soon after I wrote the above blurb – Justin Bailey signs and it’s a two-way contract. So he’s in the same boat as Baptiste.

Anyway, for bubble players this is stuff I look at. Thought I’d share.

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Top 20 Restricted Free Agents still left to sign, from a fantasy-hockey interest standpoint:

1. William Karlsson

2. Mark Stone

3. Matt Dumba

4. Elias Lindholm

5. William Nylander

6. Sam Reinhart

7. Dylan Larkin

8. Jacob Trouba

9. Noah Hanifin

10. Brandon Montour

11. Jason Zucker

12. Shea Theodore

13. Ryan Pulock

14. Ryan Spooner

15. Juuse Saros

16. Kevin Hayes

17. Tom Wilson

18. Ondrej Kase

19. David Rittich/Jon Gillies

20. Nick Ritchie

Other notables include Brady Skjei, Josh Morrissey, Mattias Janmark and Darnell Nurse.

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And here are the Top 8 contracts I will be watching for when it comes to the “one-way” versus “two-way” issue. If they sign a one-way deal I will also be looking at the amount, to determine how nice a chance they’ll be given. I expect two-way deals…and I’ll raise an eyebrow if I see “one-way”. I’ll raise that eyebrow to “The Rock” levels if it’s a one-way and in excess of $1.2 million.

1. Jordan Schmaltz

2. Nic Petan

3. Jon Gillies

4. Tristan Jarry

5. Kevin Roy – Whoops! Look at that! As I wrote this, the announcement came through – a two-way contract was signed later Sunday.

6. Kalle Kossila

7. C.J. Smith

8. Andy Welinski

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This year for the Fantasy Guide's "lowdown" (i.e. feature player) for each team, I'm taking it to the masses. In the Forum (here – and you don't have to be logged in to vote) you can vote on each player. Twice per day I've been posting a poll of about 10 players. The top two in total votes get up on Facebook for the final vote – and that winner is the guy I dig deep on in the Guide. It's been a lot of fun and great success. The Facebook readers are getting a kick out of it too.

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See you next Monday

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My year in review! 12/31/17 (In books, the books that I have read in the year 2017). An essay.

In the year 2017, I have read 23 books in total. I will review some of them that I did like, and others, not so much.

1. Kathy Griffin’s second memoir, “Celebrity Run-Ins, A-Z.” Last year I had bought this specific book as a Christmas present to myself. 2017 has been a totally shitty year for Ms. Griffin. In May, she posted to Facebook.com a picture of a Halloween mask with ketchup smeared all over it, and once it spread, it spread like wildfire. She lost a lot of her coveted jobs: CNN fired her the following week from the New Year’s Eve broadcast that she would do with Anderson Cooper, literally the only thing fun about New Year’s Eve was watching her make Anderson Cooper do weird shit in the freezing cold. It was a bad call, but not one I would say is on the same level with Kramer yelling the “N-word” to an audience member for heckling him at a stand up show. She’s literally on the FBI terror watch list now, lost her sister due to a significant and long battle with cancer, and cut all of her hair off. She’s Janice Ian in Middle School, with Trump being Regina George. It’s ridiculous, but if anyone can come back from a tasteless joke, it’s Kathy. Like Jane Fonda, she’s had (in Kathy’s own words mind you): “ a wall of shit fall in on her, and she’s survived, I dig her!” My sentiments on exactly on how I feel about YOU Ms. Kathy Griffin. What I hope for Ms. Kathy Griffin in 2018 is that she gets her revenge. Whether it’s a revenge body, or a revenge stand up set that knocks it out of the park, I would hope honestly that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of her, and that in 2018 she makes fun of the truly dumb as shit New Year’s Eve broadcast with cross-eyed as fuck Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper tonight. And no I am not watching it.

2. Charles M. Blow’s Memoir “Fire Shut Up in my bones.” The first ten pages of this novel made me want to scream into the heavens: “HOW COULD YOU?!” to his cousin, who he tells in intimate detail mind you of how his cousin raped him when he was a kid, and for most of his life, he tries to figure out why, and how in the world did he let this happen, and what he did to bring this on. In the first 20 pages of the novel, we see him struggle with maybe trying to kill his cousin for his crimes, as his cousin was never charged with sexual abuse. But the main problem I have with that was: his cousin was much much older than Charlie. And it damaged this particular writer for LIFE. I’ve read a lot about sexual abuse, and sexual abuse victims/survivors all say a variation of the same thing: that basically it affected them for life. He then goes on to become the first Black Historical writer for The NY Times, and finds himself struggling to tell people his secret, mainly the women he has sex with. Wouldn’t you?

3. TA- Neishi Coates Memoir “Between the world and Me.” In 2017, I FINALLY was able to read this novel. It’s the love letter of our time. It also proves to me at least, that even with 8 years of a Black President, cops honestly have some work to do with how they treat young black men in this country. And body cams don’t change behaviors. 

4. Trevor Noah’s Memoir “Born a Crime.” This novel I bought in February after nursing a bad heart-ache for someone who had rejected me, and I wanted to honestly dive into Trevor Noah’s world for a while. And while he’s unfortunately no Jon Stewart, what he is is very funny. His stand up sets are exactly like this novel, and his work on the daily show right now is so necessary. We all need to be laughing more and more right now, and I appreciate Trevor to let his audience know: that it’s totally OK to be laughing AT Trevor, and WITH him. Please read this book.

5. “A horse walks into a bar” by David Grossman. I didn’t get this one. I finished   it, but I didn’t really understand it.

6. “Sick in the head” by Judd Apatow. As probably the only man in Hollywood who literally HASN’T* pinched a woman’s ass on set, I appreciated Judd’s candor here, and his ability to basically get in the mind of a comic. He’s like the journalist who followed around rock stars in the 1970′s. Totally reminds me of the dude in “Almost famous” who interviewed rock stars, instead this guy just followed and stalked Jerry Seinfeld before anyone knew who Jerry Seinfeld was. (Side-note: Jerry in the 80′s never had any furniture in his NYC apartment).

7. “Difficult Women” by Roxanne Gay. This was the first novel I read by Gay, and it was awesome, sad, depressing, understandable, & relatable. I read it in March when it was too cold to do anything else but read, and it really took me on a journey of fictional women who have very difficult lives. It’s a modern take on what women go through every single day.

8. “All grown up” by Jami Attenberg, my first E-book! I bought this book for my phone, and devoured it, bit by bit, page, by page. It’s really a great book. It follows the main character in her 30′s: aimless, a bit of an alcoholic, and totally removed from anyone in society or her family. She’s a journalist or a writer in NYC, and her older brother has a child who’s dying. She’s drinking herself to death, and her mother just wants to know where she is at all times, and she’s like meh. No. I really liked it. It shows you what’s going on in someone else’s mind when they are just too caught up in their own problems to do anything about anyone else’s. 

9. “The Refugees” by Viet Than Nguyen, yeah I read this one, but I didn’t love it, I liked it fine, but it didn’t have a rhythm to it at all. Wasn’t really all that much of a page turner, it’s not riveting enough.

10. “Evicted, Poverty, and Profit in the American City”, by Matthew Desmond. Now this book! This book was a page turner, might be one of my favorites of the year! I read it in April-May of 2017 this past year, and it honestly tells the tales of poor people in this country and what they will have to go through to keep a roof over their heads. It’s riveting, depressing, sad, and honestly? A necessary read in Trump’s world.

11. Augusten* Burrough’s “Lust and Wonder.” This book made me LAUGH. I read it in June, June of 2017, and Burroughs is really not known for being funny. He is known for being depressing and sad. My mom has read “Dry” like a zillion times! But this book was both funny, and heartwarming! It warmed my heart! Honestly was confused as to who wrote this one, it honestly could be confused with a David Sedaris novel because it is just so funny. I was laughing out loud literally the whole way through!

12. “La Fayette in the somewhat United States” by Sarah Vowell. I have wanted to read this ever since she came on the daily show, and this year I did! Lay Fayette really had a lot of political aspirations, not only that, but he is the man who truly holds American ideals, and American Idealism in the palm of his hand. I enjoy Vowell’s work. And she wrote this during the 2010 Government shut down, which is impressive, to say the least!

13. “The Princess Diarist” by Carrie Fisher.

14. “A $500 House in Detroit, rebuilding an Abandoned Home and an American City” by Drew Phillip. Good read, depressing though!

15. “Sweet bitter.” By Stephanie Danler, this is a necessary read if you want to make it* as a 20 something bartender in NYC. 

16. Neil Degrasse Tyson “Astrophysics for people in a hurry.” A delight, a true delight! Made me want to be in Astronomy class all over again! Read it in a week in May.

17. “Hunger” by Roxanne Gay. Signed first edition, this was a necessary read. I literally had no idea about Gay’s back story, and I’m sure her parents had no idea either. She was gang raped by a boy she loved at 12, and went on to eat and eat and eat to then later cope with the PTSD and depression that comes after a significant trauma. I encourage everyone to read this book, not for the fact that she gained so much weight, but for the fact that she didn’t think she could tell literally anyone that she was gang raped. 

18. “The blood of Emmet Till” by Timothy Tyson. Ugh. This book. It takes you through the journey of what happened to Emmet Till, and the people’s lives it affected, and the author spends some time with either the real woman who said that Till raped her, or wolf whistled at her, or her grand child. The takeaway for her was this: “yes he whistled at me, or yes I cried rape, but honestly?” “That boy did not deserve what he got for that.”

19. “Letterman, the last Giant of Late Night” by Jason Zinoman. This book was fun, and it showed what those TV wars between Leno and Letterman were actually like. He may be an asshole that David Letterman, but he keeps you laughing, so it’s less dangerous! 

20. “The Daily Show, an Oral History” by Chris Smith. I am so glad I own this book. It’s 407 pages long, but it takes you behind the scenes of the daily show. Watching Jon Stewart’s last show, I own it, but I honestly can’t watch it without sobbing. It just can’t happen. “BULLSHIT!” “Is everywhere!” “Are the kids still here?!” “OK, we’ll deal with that later!” 

END OF READING GOAL. BONUS: Read 5 more books!

21. “Standard Deviation” by Katherine Heiny. SUCKED.

22. Al Franken’s “Giant of the Senate.” Too long haha.

23. “I am the messenger” by Markus Zusack*, (comfort reading, I’ve read this book before).