Ty Watches "Sinners"

My wife and I saw "Sinners" last Friday. I had read nothing but glowing reviews for the movie, and then RD texted me and told me it was a great movie. I trust RD's opinion on movies. He has never really steered me wrong. And the 98 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes was all I pretty much needed to see this movie. I also saw a preview for it when my dad and I watched "Mickey 17".

As we settled into the theater, which was about 90 percent full, my expectations were pretty high. And this movie more than lived up to the hype. I loved everything about "Sinners". The movie was stylish and cool. I liked the old school vibe of the movie.

“Sinners” takes place in the early 1930's in Mississippi. Michael B Jordan plays dual roles, and from the moment he was on screen, the very first shot, I couldn't take my eyes off what he was doing. Michael B Jordan has become one of the most reliable actors in all of Hollywood. And when he and Ryan Coogler team up, that is a match made in heaven. Coogler and Michael B Jordan made magic together in "Fruitvale Station", "Black Panther" and "Creed". They have now done the same with "Sinners". This is one of the coolest and most unique movies that has come out since "Everything Everywhere All at Once". It may seem like a rehashed vampire movie, but it is so much more than that and so much better than that and so much cooler than that.

The movie has a slow burn to it for the first hour, where they're, for all intents and purposes, "getting the band together". We learn a whole lot more about the two characters Michael B Jordan is playing. One is a hustler and one is no nonsense. They get all the people they want to help them out, and they head out on their way. During this first hour we also see the town they grew up in and returned to, the people they have interacted with and it seems like something sinister is lurking underneath. We then see a man on fire enter on screen, and this is where the movie goes from great to classic. This is where the vampire portion of the movie comes into play. But the vampires represent so much more in this world. And at times I actually side with the vampires. The main vampire is talking about community and acceptance and it is damn enticing and moving. But the main characters that fight them are on the good side, and eventually you have to accept and agree with them. They have the best interest of the community.

Throughout all of this we get some excellent, all timer scenes in this movie. I love the driving on dirt roads we see a lot of in the beginning. The old school church is haunting and interesting. The dance sequence the vampires do was frightening and fascinating. But, the scene that will be remembered for all time was the music scene with Preacher Boy playing guitar and singing an old blues classic. During the song we see music from all genres and all eras. It makes for one of the best and most unique scenes in the history of film. It was amazing to see all this different music come together while Preacher Boy absolutely nails the song. I think about this one scene multiple times a day.

"Sinners" is making a ton at the movies, which is well deserved. "Sinners" also definitely earned all of the positive reviews. I highly recommend this movie to everyone. It is wonderful and one of the fresher ideas in Hollywood. Check it out. 

Ty

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

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Thoughts on the 2025 NFL Draft

Now that the NFL draft has come and gone, I have some thoughts. Let’s go.

First off, the Packers draft was kind of dull for me as a fan. They got a wideout, one I'm not all that thrilled about, and then they filled some positions of need. I know this is a good thing, but I was hoping for some kind of chances being taken. I wanted them to take some risks, but they did what they always do. I guess I shouldn't complain that much.

I love what the Titans did. They still have more to do to rebuild, but getting Cam Ward was great. He should have been the number one overall pick and I'm glad he was. He seems like the type of kid that is going to have a long and successful career. I hope for nothing but the best for him. They also got defensive help in the earlier rounds and drafted depth and strong players in the later rounds.

I like what the Arizona Cardinals did too. They got Walter Nolen late in round 1 and Will Johnson early in round 2. They can be day one starters. They pretty much focused on defense the whole draft, only taking one offensive player, a lineman. They have the offense to win, and now they are trying to shore up the defense.

The Bears did the opposite of the Cardinals, taking mostly offensive weapons. They got a tight end as a safety blanket, they got a first round wideout talent in round 2 and they took explosive players for the future of their offense in later rounds.

On the opposite end of the draft, I cannot fathom what the Saints were doing last weekend. Tyler Shough in the second round may have been the reach of the draft. Devin Neal is solid, but he cannot stay healthy. Taking Banks at nine overall was nuts. The Commanders also drafted Josh Connerly Jr way too soon. I feel like Trey Amos was a reach. And, for someone who watches a ton of college football, I don't even know who their other three picks ever are. That's not a great sign.

My biggest takeaway, and what I will spend the rest of my blog talking about, the slide and the coverage of Shedeur Sanders. I'll talk about the fall to the fifth round first.

This shouldn't have happened. Sanders is too good of a talent to fall that far. I had him as my second overall QB in this draft. Ward is leaps and bounds better, but Sanders is no slouch. He threw for a ton of yards with no threat of a run game and not the best offensive line. He has the confidence to be a starter in the NFL too. He was accurate and made smart plays most of the time. For guys like Shough and Dillon Gabriel and Jaxson Dart to go before him, that is absurd. The Giants and Saints will most likely regret not taking Sanders. The slide has to be due to bad interviews and an air of cockiness, but he should have been taken no later than the second round. He is way, way too good.

The coverage of Sanders, on the other hand, was appalling, for good and bad reasons. People are going to want to cover someone as famous and talked about as much as Sanders. That is the nature of the beast in the modern era of media coverage. But, to put the focus all on Sanders, and barely talk about Cam Ward, that disgusted me. Ward has all the tools, did great in every interview and seems to truly love the game of football. He worked his way up to being the top overall pick and it didn't seem to bother him wherever he was drafted. I have since watched videos of him training leading up to the draft, and this kid has everything a franchise could ever want in a QB prospect. But ESPN and Yahoo and Bleacher Report, all they ever talked about was Sanders. ESPN, who was covering the first round of the draft, didn't even show all of Cam Ward's interview after being drafted. They decided to cut it short and go focus on Sanders and what he was doing. This is not good for "America's sports leader". Ward earned the right to be the most talked about as the top prospect, but ESPN would rather show someone's downfall, and they didn't let up until he was drafted, and they even went a little further after Sanders was picked. That stinks for Sanders, but more so for Ward. Cam Ward did everything right, but because he isn't all about himself and how to further his brand, the big media companies decided he wasn't worthy enough. Well, I think Cam Ward is worthy enough and I'm happy for him and the Tennessee Titans.

This seems to be a match for both sides and I wish nothing but success for both parties moving forward. I'm officially a Cam Ward superfan now. 

Ty

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

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The Myth of the Alpha: How a Misunderstood Wolf Study Shaped American Culture

The idea of the “alpha male” is everywhere. It shows up in dating advice, leadership books, and even the rise of the so-called “trad wife” movement. But the foundation of that idea is based on a scientific misunderstanding.

In the 1940s, researchers studying wolves in captivity noticed that the wolves formed strict hierarchies. They labeled the most dominant male the “alpha.” The problem is that these wolves weren’t family. They were strangers, forced into unnatural living conditions, like inmates in a prison. Of course they fought for dominance (Scientific American).

For decades, this idea was projected onto wolves in the wild, and by extension, to people. But when researchers like L. David Mech began observing wild wolf packs in their natural habitat, they saw something very different (Mech 1999, Canadian Journal of Zoology).

Wild wolves don’t organize into rigid dominance structures. They live in families. What early researchers called an “alpha male” is usually just a father guiding his offspring. There’s no constant battle for supremacy, no violent posturing. Just parenting and cooperation.

Unfortunately, by the time the science corrected itself, the myth had already spread.

It took root in pop culture and evolved into a blueprint for masculinity. The message was clear: to be a man, you have to dominate. To be a woman, you submit. This misunderstanding gave fuel to a version of masculinity rooted in control and to a culture that romanticizes traditional gender roles as natural law.

Domination is not leadership. Control is not love. And strength doesn’t mean posturing or suppression.

If we want a healthier culture, we need to start by questioning the stories we’ve been told about who we are and where those stories came from.

What looks like natural order is often just bad science in disguise.

Kirk Aug

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

Ty's 2025 NFL Draft Preview

The NFL draft kicks off tonight with the first round. As I do every year I'm going to give my version of a draft preview. I'll pick five prospects I like, five I'm not so high on and three sleepers. I watch a ton of college football, so I do feel like I know a good amount about these guys. I'm also pretty stoked that the draft is in Green Bay this year. That's pretty cool as a Packers fan.

I'll start with the five prospects I like most.

I want to mention my first prospect that I have little to no doubt will be an eventual star in the league, Travis Hunter. Hunter is so rare and so damn good at the game of football. He is one of the top receivers in the draft and may be the top corner in the draft. He can play both ways at a very high level. He is coming off a Heisman win. He is the Shohei Ohtani of the NFL. I will be curious to see what position he ends up playing more in the league, but I fully expect him to play a good amount of offense and defense. I just hope he doesn't end up in Cleveland.

I'm going to clump my next prospect into two tight ends, Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland. Warren is more of a brute who can do a little bit of everything. He is a superior blocker. He can get separation from linebackers with ease. And he can be used in a bunch of different sets and trick plays. He is also built like a brick. Loveland is more athletic and a faster tight end. He is an okay enough blocker, but he is so much better utilized as a receiving tight end. He is tall, fast and can get away from linebackers and corners all the same. He could have a long career.

My next prospect is Kenneth Grant. Michigan has two interior d lineman that I think will be good, but I like Grant just a little more than Mason Graham. Grant, for his size, is incredibly fast. He chased down his fair share of running backs. He is an o line wrecker and a run stuffer. And once he figures it all out, he is still relatively young, he has the tools to have a productive career.

My fourth prospect I like is Tet McMillan, the receiver out of Arizona. He is big, he is fast and he has incredible hands. I hope he falls to the Packers. I'd love that. He was so productive in college, had great games against the best teams, and I personally think he is the best wideout prospect in this draft.

My final prospect I like is Cam Ward. He is, by a very wide margin, the best QB prospect in this draft. He controls the game. He has a very cool and calm demeanor that teams in need of a QB will covet. He absolutely owned the ACC last season. While at Washington State he also controlled the Pac 12. Ward is going to be a productive QB who, with the right weapons, can be a franchise cornerstone.

Now to my five prospects I'm lower on.

First, and I hate to talk down Michigan guys, is Will Johnson. Johnson was so disruptive and lockdown in his sophomore season. He and Mike Sainristil dominated in the secondary. He would have been an easy top 10 pick last year if he were eligible. He wasn't and his junior year was not as great. He was often injured after the first 1/3 of the season. He made two great plays against Fresno State and USC, but then he was basically out of the lineup. He hardly played after that. I was excited because he suited up for the game I went to see live, and he only played one series. I figured he was saving himself for the draft, but he didn't do anything at the combine and maybe even less at Michigan's pro day. He has all the tools to succeed, but he has hardly been available for over a year now, and that scares me.

Next I have James Pearce Jr. He was a projected top pick coming into this season, but he really made no noise. He could've been double and triple teamed, but no one ever really talked about him. He just kind of disappeared. I never heard about him during the combine or during Tennessee's pro day. He kind of vanished and that is not the best look.

The next guy I have is Matthew Golden, the wideout from Texas. While he is very fast, he is small and slight. That may work for a guy like Xavier Worthy, but he has otherworldly speed. Golden does not possess that kind of speed. And at 5'11 he is destined to be a slot receiver. Any team could find that in the later rounds and be happy. I just don't see him as a first round type of prospect.

My fourth guy is Malaki Starks. This is just like the James Pearce Jr stuff. Starks was supposed to be a top 10 pick, but he just kind of vanished. He didn't do much of anything that really stood out. And Georgia's defense wasn't as good as they were supposed to be last season. Starks may be an okay enough player in the long run, but he is not the elite prospect many thought he could have been.

The final guy I have is offensive tackle Josh Connerly Jr from Oregon. He has been slipping down most teams' draft boards throughout the pre draft process. His motor isn't always the highest either. He is big, but he needs to want to dominate. I don't know if he will be able to do that in the NFL. I just don't trust a first round pick on him.

Onto my three sleepers.

First I have Luther Burden III. He was a highly regarded prospect out of high school. He dominated while at Mizzou. He made Brady Cook look halfway decent. He would face double and triple teams and he still put up productive numbers. I'd take a guy like Burden before Matthew Golden. I firmly believe that Burden is the third best wideout in the draft, behind only McMillan and Hunter.

My next sleeper is Jimmy Horn Jr. He was Colorado's number two wideout behind Travis Hunter. He put up big time numbers. Receivers are also premium players in the NFL, especially if you can get them in later rounds. Jimmy Horn Jr has the pedigree, he runs solid routes and he has good hands. He can also get separation and make big plays down the field. If a receiver needy team has a later round pick, they should go after Jimmy Horn Jr without a second thought.

My final sleeper is Andrew Mukuba, the safety from Texas. I saw him up close and personal when Texas played Michigan earlier this year. He was a beast and he dominated. He was all over the field making a ton of plays. This continued throughout his whole season. And safeties are much needed in the NFL. I would love Green Bay to take him in round three or four. That would be great for me.

There you have it, my 2025 NFL draft preview. Enjoy. 

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Black Mirror: Eulogy"

Episode five of this season of "Black Mirror" has been one of the best they've ever done. "Eulogy" brought all the best in everyone involved. I mentioned Peter Capaldi's performance in my write up yesterday, and while that was a great performance, the work that Paul Giamatti did in "Eulogy" is second to none. "Black Mirror" has had a myriad of great performances, but this one, at the moment, is the best I've seen so far.

"Eulogy" starts off with Giamatti's character doing some gardening and his phone rings. He goes to retrieve it, and we find out that someone he knew in his past has died and he is left thinking how to move ahead. From here Giamatti is given a chance to go back and remember his times with this person. It is essentially a robot in the cloud that can let people go into pictures and relive these moments that they have long forgotten or moved on from. Giamatti gives a wonderful, heartfelt and grieving performance. His attitude changes on a dime when he revisits his past. He is acting opposite a voice for most of the episode and he absolutely nails every single scene. I was along for the ride with him. Seeing his past life, going through this grief, trying to figure out how to process it all, Giamatti delivers every single time. I felt for him. I was angry at him. I wanted him to find peace with everything he was going through. I wanted to see this person because we had no pictures of her face. I wanted to understand more about their past. The voice on the other side of the memory device, she gave a pretty good performance as well. She pushes Giamatti. She wants him to remember this stuff. She wants some clear answers as to what happened in the past. She also may have a little secret that Giamatti doesn't know about until close to the end.

"Eulogy" is a tour de force for Paul Giamatti. When I see him give us a performance this good it makes me remember how good of an actor he truly is. Giamatti is reliable, solid and sometimes, like this episode, we get to watch absolute gold like this. He knows how to do everything on screen. He can pull from so many other things, be it in his personal life or his research on other roles. Giamatti has become an actor that everyone can rely on and expect to see damn good work from in whatever role he is playing. So when he takes it to another level, like he does in "Eulogy", it makes me respect him that much more. I am always a little skeptical when I see a big star commit to a show like "Black Mirror", but this is what makes this show so awesome. Paul Giamatti was all in and went for it. He understood the assignment and he nailed it. I would love to see him get some kind of awards recognition for this performance.

Paul Giamatti and "Eulogy" gave us one the best episodes in the illustrious run of "Black Mirror" and I'm very grateful for it. 

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Black Mirror: Plaything"

Episode four this season of"Black Mirror", "Plaything", features one hell of a performance from a pretty famous actor. This whole episode takes us back to "Bandersnatch". I know some people had issues with that movie, but I did not. I liked it quite a bit. I watched it a bunch of times and took the story in a ton of different directions. "Bandersnatch" was a choose your own adventure movie in the style of "Black Mirror".

"Plaything" takes place after the events in "Bandersnatch", but it only brings back a few people from the movie. Will Poulter is back and so is the guy who runs the video game company with him. Will Poulter shines in his minimal screen time. He is a good actor, he knows this role very well and he is a delight to watch. He also plays an insane person who is capable of horrific things. But, in "Plaything" he is making a new game that brings a lot more to the table than most games. Peter Capaldi is the actor that gives a virtuoso performance here. When the episode starts we see him going into a convenience store and kind of robbing it, but it seems like he wants to get caught. The police descend upon him and put him in cuffs. They then run his license and find out he is guilty of way more than just robbery. This is when the episode takes us back to the time after "Bandersnatch" and the new video game Poulter's character is making. We learn a lot about a young Capaldi here. He is a loner that tests videogames and writes about them for a prominent tech magazine. He has one buddy who gives him drugs, but that is about all he is good for. He is summoned to meet Poulter and test and then write about his new game. He steals the game and that's when things start to go nuts. All the while we cut back and forth between the past and the current version of Capaldi. He is magnetic in his performance. You feel for him even though he is not such a great person. The police and the psychiatrist are both doing their best to break him, but he is so singularly focused on his goal that he never stops doing what he thinks he needs to do. And he is simply awesome. I don't know much about Capaldi as an actor. I understand he was the Doctor during one of the many "Doctor Who" runs. Other than that, I would see him pop up in shows and movies, and while he was memorable, this performance in "Plaything" is one of a kind. He commands the attention of the viewer. He shines brighter than anyone else. The other actors are doing their best, and they are doing really good work. But, they are just not at Capaldi's level. He plays this unwell person perfectly. The faces he makes throughout the episode transform from pitiful to arrogant. He never lets go of his mission at hand. He has a job and he is going to fulfill his duty. I was truly in awe of him here. It makes me want to search out more of his stuff and compare it against this performance.

"Plaything" was a solid episode in a very solid season to this point, but it was another wonderful performance from a seasoned actor. When you watch this episode, pay attention to Capaldi's work. It's a masterclass. 

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Black Mirror: Hotel Reverie"

Continuing my recap of each "Black Mirror" episode this season, I'm here to talk about one episode that I think will be talked about for years to come, "Hotel Reverie".

Issa Rae stars as a modern movie star, Brandy, who is sick of playing the roles she keeps getting offered. She is either a love interest or the lead of some run of the mill indie drama. She is speaking with her agent one day and an offer that he seems to think is nothing big takes Rae's attention. Her agent is going through all the roles being offered and he tells her about an old classic being remade for the modern audience, but in a new way too. The movie is called "Hotel Reverie". And it stars Emma Corrin, who is playing Dorothy. There is a whole preamble when the episode starts that shows clips from the movie intercut with news stories about Dorothy's personal life. Dorothy had a tough life. Dorothy wasn't able to live the life they desired. Dorothy had to hide a ton of things. I should also mention that "Hotel Reverie" is owned by a dying studio that is looking for any type of project to get them some money. That is where Redream comes into place. Awkafina plays one of the, I think, leaders of this new company. What Redream does is make old movies with one new star and films them in real time. It is like a play come to life of an old classic. Brandy is obsessed with this movie and that is why she jumps at this role. Brandy also wants to play the co lead, who was a man back when they first made this movie. Awkwafina is all for this, so they give her the role. She gets sent an envelope with the script and her lines and everything. We also happen to see a USB fall to the ground that Brandy doesn't notice. So, when Brandy arrives on set, she is ready to go, but she doesn't fully understand what Redream is doing. She relents and agrees and is sent into this world that Redream has built. It is all artificially created people and they all seem to think they're real. Brandy is stunned, obviously, at first, but then she gets into acting mode and goes for it. Then things start to go a little haywire. Everything has to be perfect, but like most "Black Mirror" episodes, things aren't always what they seem. As this episode unfolds it becomes about so much more. The episode shows love and how it comes and goes and can be devastating. We get an idea of what AI could become if it were ever to gain sentience and feeling. We see an upstart company dealing with some harrowing issues all along the way by not coming up with their own ideas. And I loved it all. Issa Rae gives a wonderful performance. I believed her every step of the way. I felt for her. I wanted her to be happy. But Emma Corrin really shines here. They give us a performance for the ages. Playing the original Dorothy and the AI version, they give us two separate but equally incredible performances. There are some scenes that Corrin takes to another level that really shined through.

I still sit in my home and think about things from this episode daily. I was so enamored with "Hotel Reverie". I love the whole idea of Hollywood not being unique enough anymore. I love seeing love stories, good and bad. And when actors go for it and nail it, that is the cherry on top. "Hotel Reverie" is an achievement that I truly loved watching. 

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Black Mirror: Bete Noire"

The second episode in this new block from "Black Mirror" is called "Bete Noire". I have read some stuff online about this particular episode that I don't necessarily agree with all that much. Some people have said it is not one of their best and a low point for this season. So far I have loved the four episodes I've seen. So, to see some people denigrating this one felt a bit off base.

I really like the whole idea of "Black Mirror" doing an episode that takes place inside a new aged candy shop. I kept thinking of Willy Wonka, until the episode got into the meat of it all. I was all in on this chocolatier making up new and exciting treats. Then everything starts to go a bit awry when she sees an old classmate of hers. She never really liked this girl all that much. Well, maybe that's not it, she never really thought about this girl much.

The main character, Maria, played by Siena Kelly, was a popular kid in school and had a lot of friends. This seems to lead to others being made fun of by the "cool" kids. The "outsider" here is Verity, played by Rosy McEwen. She seems a little off from the jump. She is very forthcoming, but also awkward when she runs into Maria at her job. Verity is part of a focus group trying a new chocolate, and after the trial, she speaks with Maria in the restroom, an awkward place for a conversation. It is here when Verity drops a bunch of stuff on her. She moved on from her high school days, found herself and was applying for a job at the chocolate company. Maria didn't even think they had an opening. Maria relays all this info to her boyfriend, who is very nonchalant about everything, which is how I probably would react in this scenario. But it doesn't stop there between Maria and Verity. Verity always seems to be right about everything. People are constantly taking her side in every single debate or argument. It gets bad enough that Maria is asked to take a leave because her boss and coworkers think she is openly attacking Verity, with no proof of the acts she is claiming have occured.

This episode resonated with me because it is a clear case of gaslighting. Verity knows what she is doing and she goes at it hard. It is wild to see the tables turn on Maria. She goes from one of the top chocolatiers in the UK to yelling at everyone at her job. We come to find out more about the highschool days between the two of them and what Verity is really up to now. The scene that the two actors have in Verity's bedroom is wild and tense. I was nervous and I could feel my heart racing as I watched it all unfold. There are other actors that help this ctory move along, but make no mistake, this is all about the battle between Verity and Maria. I found myself so, so angry at Verity by the end. And I was fully on Maria's side about halfway through the episode. But, like only "Black Mirror" can do, I was questioning everything I thought by the end of the episode. That is what this show does best, and "Bete Noire" is another fine example.

I thought this episode was wonderful, and when everything came into focus, my mind was blown. McEwen and Kelly both give powerhouse performances and I'm intrigued to check out some of their other work. I'm glad I watched this one and didn't pay much attention to the critics on the internet. "Bete Noire" worked for me and I'm still thinking about stuff from it to this day. That is the mark of a good 45 minutes of tv for me. 

Ty

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

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The Fiscal Logic of Progressive Policy

We’re long overdue for a reframing of what it means to be "fiscally conservative." Somewhere along the way, that phrase became synonymous with slashing social programs, protecting wealth hoarding, and treating investment in people as wasteful. But if we take a step back from the political branding and just look at cost-benefit outcomes, it turns out many of the most effective, efficient, and economically sound ideas live firmly on the so-called left.

Preventative Economics

The classic adage, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," isn’t just good advice. It’s a financial model. When governments invest in basic social goods like healthcare, education, housing, and nutrition, they aren’t giving out handouts. They’re reducing future liabilities.

Medicare for All, for instance, would eliminate redundant administrative costs and middlemen, streamline negotiations on drug prices, and ensure earlier intervention in chronic illnesses before they spiral into expensive emergency care. Studies project it would save hundreds of billions per year (The Lancet, 2020).

Universal Pre-K, child nutrition, and early childhood development programs consistently show a return on investment of 4x to 16x. These benefits come in the form of increased lifetime earnings, reduced dependence on public assistance, and lower rates of crime and incarceration (Heckman Equation).

The numbers are there. The problem isn’t feasibility. It’s ideology.

The Cost of Neglect

We spend more on incarceration and policing than any other wealthy nation, and yet we see higher crime and recidivism. That’s not just a social failure. It’s an economic one.

It costs over $30,000 a year to incarcerate someone (Prison Policy Initiative). In many states, it’s much more. That’s far more than it would cost to house someone, offer mental health support, or provide job training.

We know what reduces crime:

• Stable housing
  
  

• Accessible healthcare
  
  

• Mental health support
  
  

• Education
  
  

• Opportunity
  
  

But we fund punishment while leaving prevention starved. This isn’t conservative. It’s reactionary and inefficient.

The Illusion of Fiscal Responsibility

Slashing food assistance, denying Medicaid expansion, and cutting education budgets are often sold as tough, adult decisions. But those cuts don’t save money. They just shift the cost downstream, often magnifying it.

A person without insurance doesn’t stop needing care. They just get it in the ER at 10x the cost (KFF). A hungry child doesn’t learn well, and later earns less, pays less in taxes, and is more likely to need assistance as an adult.

What we call "fiscal responsibility" is usually just performative cost-cutting, more about scoring political points than solving actual problems.

Reclaiming the Term

If we define fiscal conservatism by outcomes, by who actually saves money while improving social stability, then progressive policies lead the pack. The countries that have invested in universal healthcare, affordable housing, childcare, and education not only have better social outcomes. They spend less per capita doing it (OECD).

American voters have been conditioned to see collectivism as inherently inefficient, even as corporate welfare, tax breaks, and military overreach drain trillions (ITEP). Meanwhile, lobbyists and media conglomerates shape the narrative to equate anything that helps ordinary people with dangerous ideology.

We need to get smarter.

Conclusion

It’s time to stop asking what’s liberal or conservative and start asking what actually works. And more often than not, the policies dismissed as "too idealistic" are the ones with the strongest economic case. If we want a future that’s stable, affordable, and sustainable, we need to get over the fear of helping people and start investing in what makes us stronger.

Kirk Aug

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

Ty Watches "Black Mirror: Common People"

The 7th season or series or whatever it is called "Black Mirror" was released on April 10th. I've already seen four of the six episodes. My wife asked me the other night if I wanted to finish it off. I did, but I also wanted to wait.

"Black Mirror" is, quite possibly, the best show on tv. I get excited when a new whatever gets announced. I read all about the casting and everything. I just want to know what I'm going to get into, and how much I'm going to like it. What I want to do for this newest release is write about each episode after seeing it. I already said I have already watched four, so I'm going to focus on one episode for the next few days, and when my wife and I watch the final two episodes, I'll come back and tell you all how I feel about those. So, for my blog today I'm going to focus on the first episode of the new whatever, "Common People".

This episode is reminiscent of early "Black Mirror". It starts out all nice and quaint. We see a couple celebrating their anniversary and seem to be having a good time. Chris O'Dowd and Rashinda Jones play the couple. I love this pairing. They seem to have great chemistry and play really well off one another. As I said, the two of them are in what seems like a solid relationship. But, they can't have kids. Jones' character also seems to have issues with headaches. One day, she plays a school teacher, and she collapses in class. It turns out she has a pretty invasive brain tumor. It doesn't seem like she is ever going to wake up from the coma she is in. Then Tracie Ellis Ross shows up. This is when the show goes back to its roots. Ellis Ross plays a salesperson who tells O'Dowd that she is part of a team that can save his wife's life, if he decides he wants to try an invasive and new surgery. I'm not going to spoil anything from there on out, but I am going to try and talk about it the best I can without spoiling anything. The surgery is basically a subscription type of deal. While watching, my wife made mention that Jones' brain was basically a cell phone now. The rules, the money, the issues that come with all of this, and how they tell the story, is what makes "Black Mirror" so excellent. At first I was totally on board with the surgery. I told my wife I'd do it, and if she was in a situation where this was possible for me, I'd want her to do it. But, as the episode kept unfolding, my desire for this kept waning. It got bad. All of the things that make having a cell phone annoying, Jones' character was living that reality. It was bleak. It made me sad. And with this company becoming more and more of a thing, it was called Redream in the show, it kept getting more and more expensive. And Ellis Ross was exceptional as the spokesperson of the company. She never raised her voice, she never got mad, she always kept her cool. It also turns out that she is a little more involved than what is led on at the beginning. But what makes this episode really work was O'Dowd and Jones' performances, along with Ellis Ross. As things get tougher, their lives get harder. O'Dowd resorts to doing things he may not want to do. Jones has to sleep pretty much all the time. And Eliis Ross keeps hitting them with more and more bills and new prices.

This episode was an excellent way to start this new series or season. It was a throwback and set the whole thing in motion. It made me want to see more, but my wife said she needed a break, which I also understood. An episode like "Common People" is what makes "Black Mirror" so great. The writers know the material and that shines through here. 

Ty

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

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Ty's NBA Playoff Preview

The NBA playoffs are right around the corner. The play-in starts this evening in fact. Today I'm going to give my playoff preview and picks. I'll also hand out my MVP for the Finals. This is my favorite time of the NBA season. The games are intense, the players are going full bore and the coaches, the ones who want to win, are giving it their all. With all that, I'm going to get into the preview.

I'll start with the "minor" league Eastern Conference preview. The play-in games here are going to add up to a whole lot of nothing in the long run, but the games should be fun.

The 7-8 game has the Magic facing the Hawks. I was so high on the Magic in the preseason, but they got bit by the injury bug big time. The Hawks made some moves, took the French kid first overall and still finished this season like they've finished most lately, underwhelming. Trae Young is very good on offense, but a zero on defense. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are both very good, but they cannot make an outside shot. The Magic are a phenomenal defensive team and the Hawks are a solid offensive team. Give me the Magic. They should have most of their team intact. They get the 7 seed. The 9-10 game is a total clash of styles. The Bulls play fast and loose, the Heat play slow and in control. I really have almost no interest in this game. The Heat aren't the same team anymore, and the Bulls are a shell of who they once were. I'm going with the Bulls here because they have been on a bit of a tear lately. So, the Hawks and the Bulls will play for the 8 seed. Give me the Bulls here in a minor upset. This will be a high scoring game, with little to no defense. And the youth of the Bulls will prevail. They grab the 8 seed.

The East first round matchups are, Cavs and Bulls, Celtics and Magic, Knicks and Pistons and Pacers and Bucks. No need to go in depth with the 1-8 and 2-7 matchups. The Cavs are going to boatrace the Bulls. I'd be stunned if the Bulls are even within a double figure deficit in any game. The Cavs will sweep. The Celtics have barely been talked about it seems this year. They're defending champs, they have effortlessly slid into the 2 seed and they have everyone back. I know Jaylen Brown may be more hurt than he is letting on, but this team is still loaded. The Magic won't be able to keep up. The Celtics will also sweep. The 3-6 matchup is going to be fun. It's old school ball with the Knicks playing the Pistons. The Pistons are back and that rules. I love it when they're relevant. The Knicks haven't been as solid as they were last season, but they are still the 3 seed and the favorites here. They have guys that have been here before and they know what it takes to win. They also have the three or four best players in the series. The Pistons are not going to back down, but every young team needs to have the feeling they're about to get in this series. I do think the Pistons will win a game or two and make it tough on the Knicks, but in the end the Knicks will win. Give me them in six games. The Bucks and Pacers are the best series of the first round in the East. The Bucks have the far and away best player in the series. Giannis has been on an absolute tear and he doesn't seem to be slowing down at all. It's the rest of the Bucks roster and Doc Rivers that scare me. Dame is hurt, Kuzma hasn't been the guy they hoped he would be, Taurean Prince is kind of blah. The Bucks are kind of in a  little turmoil. The Pacers play fast and easy and score in bunches. They're also a deeper team. Tyrese Haliburton has come back to his normal playing style. Pascal Siakim and Myles Turner are putting in work. And their bench is deep. I'd love for the Bucks to win, but Giannis needs help and it doesn't seem to be coming. I'll take the Pacers in seven games.

That means I have the Cavs facing the Pacers and the Celtics facing the Knicks. Again, no need to beat around the bush. The Cavs are better than the Pacers and they play defense. Donovan Mitchell is just waiting to go off too. And Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are just awesome on defense. The Cavs won't sweep, but they will win this series in five games. The Celtics should easily dispatch of the Knicks. The Celtics are deeper, they play better defense, they shoot better from three, they have a better coaching staff. And Tatum will be the best player in this series far and away. Give me the Celtics in six games.

So that leaves us with the Cavs and Celtics in the East Finals. We get the 1 and 2 seeds here. And this is where the party ends for the Cavs. They are going to fight and claw in this series. They will give the Celtics all they can handle. But in the end the Celtics are just a better, more experienced playoff team. I know it's hard to repeat, but this version of the Celtics is damn, damn good. The Celtics are the East representatives in the Finals.

Onto the big boys, the Western Conference playoffs.

The play-games for the West start tonight. The 7-8 features the Grizzlies and Warriors. I mean, I want the Grizz to win it, but they seem checked out. They haven't been very good lately, they have coaching turnover and they haven't been able to put it together recently. I don't have much faith in them. The Warriors are more primed and playing better. They might roll the Grizz tonight. The 9-10 game features remnants of the Kings and Mavs. I don't even know who will be available to play in this game tonight. The Mavs have a ton of injuries and the Kings are dealing with their own wreckage. I'll go with the Kings because I think the Mavs have truly given up on this season. As for who gets the 8 seed, give me the Grizz over the Kings. I know the Grizzlies have been struggling, but they are better than the Kings and should be able to easily grab the 8 seed.

That means the West first round matchups will be the Thunder and Grizzlies, Rockets and Warriors, Lakers and Timberwolves and Nuggets and Clippers. The Thunder will put the Grizzlies out of their misery. They won't make it painful, they will just end it. The Thunder have been the best team in the league all year and the Grizzlies will see that up close and personal. Thunder in a sweep. I'm excited about this Warriors-Rockets matchup. The Rockets are the new kids on the block, but they don't mind bullying people. They have youth, veterans and a stifling, long defense. The Warriors are still good, but they're so old, and getting beat by the Clippers to end the season was a bummer for them. This series should be closer than most expect, but the Rockets have the better, younger team. Steph Curry can only do so much, and he needs way more help than what this current roster construction has to offer. Give me the Rockets in seven. I don't know what to make of the Lakers-Timberwolves series. The Lakers have the two best players. They have a good roster. They seem to know what they're doing. The Timberwolves eked out this 6 seed, but they have kind of been on fire lately. They are younger and deeper. They have a better defense. And Anthony Edwards is not afraid of the spotlight. He thrives in it. The Lakers are going to get way more calls, and Rudy Gobert really struggles against Luka Doncic and LeBron James. I'm going to go with the Lakers in seven, but I'll be rooting hard for the Timberwolves the whole time. The 4-5 between the Nuggets and Clippers may be the best series of the entire playoffs. I love this matchup. The Nuggets have Jokic and Murray is back from injury. Michael Porter Jr is a 6'10 guy that can shoot. And Christian Braun is a legit defender. The Clippers have been playing great and, knock on wood, everyone has been healthy and playing at a high level. Kawhi Leonard looks like himself. James Harden has reverted back to his old ways of constantly getting to the line and getting a ton of assists. Norm Powell has become a legit number three on this team. Ivica Zubac has had a wonderful year. And Tyron Lue is coaching his ass off. The Clippers may be the third or second best team in the West. And that is why I'm picking them to win this brutal series in seven games.

So, that leaves me with the Thunder facing the Clippers and the Rockets playing the Lakers. The Clippers will probably be dog tired for this series and by this time, Shai Gilgeous Alexander may have accepted his much deserved MVP award. The Thunder are deep, nasty and can play offense with the best of them. The Clippers won't go down without a fight, but in the end the Thunder's youth and athleticism will be enough to take this series in six games. As for the Rockets and Lakers, I'd absolutely love to see the Rockets win. They're young and fun. They play both ends of the court at a high volume. They have a better head coach. This team seems primed to make a leap. But, the Lakers will get the calls they need. They will get every single advantage they ask for. And Dillon Brooks will do something stupid and blow it for them. I'm begrudgingly picking the Lakers to win in seven games, but I wouldn't be shocked if this series is fraught with awful calls and poor reffing that favors the Lakers throughout. And their prize will be facing the Thunder in the West Finals. The Thunder are going to exorcise some past issues here. I'd love to see them sweep the Lakers. While I don't think that will happen, I do think the Lakers will steal a game due to officials. But give me the Thunder in five games. They're having an excellent year and that will bear out in a Finals appearance.

That means I have the Thunder and Celtics in the Finals. Give me the Celtics to repeat. It hasn't been done in awhile and it seems like this is the right time for it to happen. While the Thunder are very good and match up well with the Celtics, the Celtics are better overall. They play better defense, shoot the three better and know what it takes to win on this stage. The Thunder's time is coming, just not this year. The Celtics will be your 2025 NBA champs. And give me Jayson Tatum to take home Finals MVP. He made a case last season, but he will leave no doubt this year. 

Ty

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

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"The Zach Lowe Show" is a Return to Form, Good and Bad

I have sung Zach Lowe's praises on this site before. I truly believe he is one of the best basketball writers working right now. He goes very in depth with his content. It's clear he does a ton of research and knows this game inside and out. I thought ESPN made a humongous mistake when they laid him off. One thing that went away was probably their best podcast, "The Lowe Post". I looked forward to multiple episodes a week. But after ESPN was done with him, he went silent. I assume this was by design. He probably wanted to get out of the light for a bit and spend time with his family. That makes total sense to me.

Maybe a month or two ago, he started to post stuff on Instagram and YouTube. I devoured this content. I wanted more and more. Then, as many of us figured, he was hired by The Ringer. This was always going to be the resolution in my mind. He and Bill Simmons, who is a dipshit, have been long time friends and they worked at Grantland and ESPN together. This was the next logical step for Lowe. Simmons has an empire and he can hire, and degrade, whomever he chooses. But let me say, I was stoked when he released a preview of his "new" podcast.

His new show is called "The Zach Lowe Show", I wish he kept the old name, and I put new in quotes because it is the same exact show with a new name. Lowe has already released three episodes, all this week, and I've listened to each one. As I said, it is the same damn thing. He gets big time writers and reporters in there, they go deep on basketball knowledge and they make bold statements left and right. The only difference, the swearing is no longer bleeped out. That is the only change. And boy oh boy did I miss his show. I was right back in the moment he exclaimed, "WELCOME TO...", and then said the title of the show. It was like he never left. He made very minimal statements about his time away, but besides that, it is business as usual. He's had Marc Stein, Kirk Goldsberry and other writer friends of his on so far. He has talked to beat writers in Denver to get news on all the craziness that's going on there right now. He has talked awards with his buddies. It's been great.

The one thing I had forgotten, and what used to drive me up the wall about his show, he will only sing praises when he speaks about Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic. He has had three shows, and I swear to you all that he has said, "Nikola Jokic is the greatest basketball player on Earth" about 100 times already. He is so totally in the bag for Jokic. I wrote a piece awhile back that his love for Jokic was bordering on pornographic. And that has not changed one bit to this point. And then he had an episode yesterday that the first half was all about Luka Doncic playing his first game in Dallas since the trade. He and Stein made reference time and again to how "hurt" Doncic was. They kept talking about his emotions. They called his performance, in a non essential regular season game, "masterful". They made it out like he was some down on his luck random person in the universe. Luka Doncic gets to play a game for a living and make millions upon millions of dollars. He isn't some woebegone dude looking for a welding job. He is doing just fine in his life. And after all of that nonsense, they proceeded to just heap praise upon praise on him, meanwhile they dumped all over the Mavs GM. I get it, he made a poor trade, but let it go. And Lowe had the audacity to try and walk back all his comments on Harrison right after the trade by talking about his family. The reason he and his family are getting so attacked by the media is because of people like Zach Lowe. I get it, that is his job. But Lowe shouldn't be out here trying to play both ends of the fence. That isn't his job.

So, while I have missed the show and will continue to listen to it all the damn time, I do have to know that this love fest for these two white Eastern Europeans will never stop coming from Lowe as long as they play and he has a podcast. You have to take the bad with the good, and that's fine. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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An Ode to Wraps

I have come to a place in my life where certain foods that I used to love can ruin my day now. This is all part of getting older is what everyone tells me. One such food that I cannot eat that much anymore is bread. I'm not gluten intolerant or anything like that. I feel bad for those that have celiac. That would be tough, but I know some people that do, and they have figured it out.

My issue with bread is that it makes me feel bloated. My stomach feels bad for hours after having a sandwich or eating a burger. I used to house bread as a kid. I would eat slices with cinnamon and sugar on it. I wouldn't even toast it at times. I would eat it straight. I also used to enjoy a nice bun with my burger, but that ship has kind of sailed. The bun feels superfluous, and I just want the meat, cheese and condiments to be honest. I think this is why Atkins worked so well for me. I don't miss bread as much anymore. Sandwiches are a different story though. I enjoy a good sandwich. I always have. I like the mix of bread, cheese, meat and condiments, just like a burger, but the bread is needed this time.

With this new issue, I had to find an alternative. I could always eat a burger lettuce wrapped, but that doesn't work with a sandwich for me. I have found in recent years though I really enjoy a wrap. I like how everything melds together and you get a little taste of all of the elements when eating a wrap. I have also always enjoyed burritos, so having a wrap was kind of an easy transition. Tortillas have never messed with my stomach also, which is nice for me when it comes to eating sandwiches. Just today I made a wrap and loved it. I had two low carb whole wheat tortillas left and I rolled with it. I got the tortillas, added some prosciutto, havarti, chimichurri, balsamic pickled onions and yellow mustard. I housed that wrap. It was so tasty. I had just finished a run so I was hungry too. After eating the wrap today I sat back and thought about the same items on a regular sandwich with some sourdough bread, which is my favorite bread for sandwiches. After a few minutes, I realized that I prefer the wrap version to the sourdough version. Again, the wrap gives you a taste of everything. Every bite was the same, which I prefer when it comes to eating meals with a bunch of different components. Also, I've always been a wheat guy, so the low carb wheat tortillas are very tasty. I like the additional flavor wheat adds, and with them being low carb, I don't feel bad about eating two of them.

I know that wraps can be a problem for some. My wife has always given me a hard time about my love for wraps. She says if I want a sandwich I should just eat a sandwich. But, if I can get all the joy of a sandwich in burrito form, I will pick that ten out of ten times. Wraps are great and I will stay on that hill as long as I live. Wraps for life. 

Ty

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

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Thoughts on a the Denver Nuggets Firing the Coach and GM

I don't know what's in the water in the NBA. Something strange is going on and it feels like this is just the beginning of many more coaching moves to come. But, for the Denver Nuggets to let go of Mike Malone and GM Calvin Booth, that is downright wild.

I didn't see this coming at all. I was shocked by the Grizzlies letting Taylor Jenkins go, but for the Nuggets to do this now, it makes absolutely zero sense to me. The Nuggets won the title two years ago. They made the West Semifinals last year. They're currently in playoff contention right now. Sure, they may have to survive the play-in, but they have had to deal with a million injuries. And they have Nikola Jokic, who I am not a fan of, but the dude can play offense. He is a superior scorer. He is an excellent passer. The offense runs through him. They also have Jamal Murray. Yes, he is often injured as of late, but when he is on the floor he is the Robin the team needs. And they also have complimentary guys. Christian Braun is a solid defender. Michael Porter Jr is a good shooter. They may have something with Peyton Watson and some other young players they've drafted. The Nuggets are not a team in disarray. They definitely do not need a coaching change. What they need is to not bring on players like Deandre Jordan and Russell Westbrook. I adore Westbrook, but I was against this move from the moment it happened. And Jordan has no bounce and is not the defender he once was in the league.

Pinning this all on Malone and Booth seems odd to me. I guess that, according to some sports reporters, there was building tension in the locker room. I guess some players disagreed with his gameplans as of late. But come on man, this dude helped guide the team to a title two short years ago. That is a big, big deal. That is the only title in Nuggets history. Sure, Booth and company didn't retain certain players that were vital to the title team. Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were key guys in that run. But in all reality, they weren't going to be able to keep those guys when they had to pay Jokic, Porter Jr and Murray. Cuts have to be made in some spots, and with the solid drafting they've done in the late first round, letting those guys go was not that big a deal. And they have not been the same since leaving Denver.

I guess what surprises me most about all of this, Michael Malone is a very, very good basketball coach. He may be tough, but good players respond well to that for the most part. I don't think any other coach will get what Malone got from Jokic and Murray. They will just walk all over the next guy. I can tell I'm getting older because I'm defending Malone's way of coaching. I like tough love. I like when he openly calls out players because I know he does it in private too. I would love it if the Grizzlies kicked the tires on Malone as their next head coach.

I truly don't know where the Nuggets go from here. I heard they have some assistants they're high on, but five games and a, most likely, short playoff run is not enough to judge their coaching prowess. And I don't know what big name coach they'd try to get to come and coach this team, especially seeing how quickly they can be let go. I don't know if any coach is safe right now, outside of Joe Mazzula. It seems like guys are being let go left and right, no matter the amount of success they've achieved. This is weird all the way around. The timing, the name and the addition of the GM being let go too is just a lot to think about at the moment. I feel like the Nuggets are going to take a big, big step back in the next couple years. And Michael Malone is going to find another job very soon. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty Watches the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Final

The men's title game came and went last night. I missed the first half, I was out to dinner with my family. But I did make it home for the second half and my son and I dipped in and out.

When we turned it on Houston was in the lead. They actually built that lead up to ten points early in the second half. It looked like they could have run away with it. But that didn't happen. Houston went stone cold and got kind of stagnant. And Florida did what they have done all tourney long and clawed and scratched their way back to take a late lead. They eventually had a two point lead near the end of the game, but it was Houston's ball. It was shaping up to be an epic finish, but I should have thought differently after watching Houston slowly blow their lead. Houston didn't even get a shot off. They had over ten seconds to tie or take the lead, but they never put the ball anywhere close to the hoop. That's brutal, especially in a title game. And while I felt a little bad for Kelvin Sampson, he should have had his team ready to shoot the ball. They had to have the best possible play call at the time. But they didn't and it cost them.

Taking a big step back and looking at the game as a whole, it was indicative of what I have an issue with basketball at the current moment. This was a sloppy, sloppy game. Sure, I have to assume the players were tired, but this is the title game between two number 1 seeds. This should have been a far, far better game. Houston and Florida were both atop the rankings pretty much all season. They both have college basketball stars on their teams. Florida has a young savant as a head coach and Kelvin Sampson is one of the best to ever do it. But all of that did not matter on the court. Both teams shot poorly from the field. Florida shot 39 percent from the floor, Houston was even worse, at 34 percent. The three point shooting was even worse. Florida made 6 of 24 threes. That is good enough for 25 percent. Houston, they went 6 of 25, good enough for 24 percent. The two teams combined to shoot 12 of 49 from three, which comes out to 24 percent. The free throw shooting was askew as well. Florida made 17 of 21, which is solid. Houston went 9 of 14. That's not great, but still okay. But, Florida had more makes than Houston had attempts. When that happens I get annoyed. It showed a clear favoritism. And it wasn't like Houston was fouling to extend the game. I feel like officials are getting way too involved, and when they decide to favor one team, that takes a ton away from the game for me. The shooting was rough, the free throw shooting was messy and the lack of explosive plays, minus one early dunk, made for a very boring and dull game.

After the tourney was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, I craved it. When it came back in 2021, I remembered how much I missed it. And watching UConn run the sport for the past two years was kind of cool. But, the game last night was a reminder of what I dislike about current basketball. It took me back to when Duke was winning titles. I wasn't moved or impressed with hardly anything. I know that I have my personal issues with the game, but the poor shooting and insertion of the refs made this tough for most to watch I have to imagine. Oh well. I guess I have to hope that the NBA playoffs are better. Fingers crossed. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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An Ode to a New Couch and Dishwasher

As we get older in life, things change. That goes without saying.

When I was little, small things made me happy. I would drink from a hose with glee. I loved riding my bike to friends' houses and playing sports all summer long. I enjoyed practices and games and just playing a ton. As I got a little older it was stuff like driving and tooling around town. I liked hanging at my house with my buddies. Going on dates and meeting new people was fun. I loved going to live shows and seeing musicians I liked playing songs I loved. I enjoyed bowling and playing rec basketball.

Then I met my wife and the fun stuff kept going. I was stoked to move in with her. I was terrified and then thrilled when I proposed and she said yes. Going on date nights to dinner and a movie was a delight. Having pets and disposable income was the best. Getting married ruled.

Then we had a kid and then a second one. That came with new and exciting things to do. Seeing your kid take their first steps and learn new things was awesome. I eventually got to do my dream job, being a stay at home dad. So, I expected this to continue. And in some ways it has. I love running. I still get to go to movies. I've become a coffee connoisseur. I love live comedy now. But, the biggest sign to me that I am going into a new phase of what I consider "fun", I have been loving buying appliances and furniture.

We got a new couch recently. My wife and I went couch shopping with the kids and it was a total blast. The kids and I were having the time of our lives sitting on so many different pieces of furniture. And when the workers came to set it up, I was giddy. I'm currently writing on said couch right now, and I was fortunate enough to take my first nap on it yesterday. It ruled and I'm still in post couch purchase glow.

Yesterday my wife and I purchased a new dishwasher. It is going to be installed tomorrow. I CANNOT wait. I'm serious. The idea of a brand new dishwasher is so exciting. I've had issues with our current dishwasher since we moved into this house. It's small, it is not very durable, the dishes don't always come out clean and the grips on the side slip off all the damn time. So, when my wife said it was time to get a new one, that was all I needed to hear. I shopped online for about two weeks before deciding to buy the one we bought. I did research. I read reviews and took measurements. I would pit certain brands against one another. And after making the purchase last night my wife looked at me and asked if I was excited. I couldn't contain my excitement. Of course I was excited. This is a big deal for me since I do the dishes pretty much everyday. And I fully understand how lucky I am that my family can do things like this. That is not lost on me. Believe me. But, this new phase of being happy about furniture and appliances and kitchen tools and the like, this is odd, but I'm here for it. I like this phase.

I hope this phase lasts for a good long time. I think this makes me so happy because it benefits everyone in my family, not just me. Whatever it may be, I love it and if this is a sign of aging, so be it. It's worth it. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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

Is Carmelo Anthony a Hall of Fame Player? (Yes He Is)

I was out for coffee with my dad the other day and we were chatting about everything as we normally do. The subject almost always switches to sports at some point, and we got on the topic of Carmelo Anthony during our conversation.

We were talking about the NBA and the upcoming playoffs, and I then mentioned that Anthony was going to be on the Hall of Fame ballot that is coming out soon. I, without hesitation, told my dad I thought it was a foregone conclusion that he was a first ballot Hall of Fame basketball player.

My dad didn't agree.

I asked him why and he mentioned a few things. He said he was never that great a defender, this is very true. He also said he never won a title, also true. He made mention that the Nuggets and Knicks never made it out of the second round of the playoffs when he was the number one option on offense, again true. And when he traveled from team to team to team late in his career, the unwillingness to take on a smaller role diminished his greatness in his eyes. Again, that is true as well.

I tend to agree with the points my dad made, but I do not agree with him that Carmelo Anthony is not a first ballot Hall of Fame player. Carmelo Anthony shot on the scene for me back when he was one of the first one and done college players. He went to Syracuse for a year, played under Jim Boeheim, learned a ton and willed that team to a title. That Kansas team they played was better on paper, but Anthony was the driving force behind that title and he was well received afterward. He ended up being the third pick, in the LeBron James draft, and made a real case for Rookie of the Year that season. I wasn't sure how well he would make the transition from college to the pros, but it was flawless. He entered the league and was instantly putting up big numbers. He surprised me, in a good way, and I became an even bigger fan of his after that first NBA season. He didn't slow down after that. He was a 10x all star. He made six all NBA teams. He was the 2013 scoring champ. And he was a part of the NBA's 75th Anniversary team. He has three gold medals and one bronze. His ability to play a different style in the Olympics benefited him and his country. He was instant offense off the bench for Team USA later in his career. He ended his career with an average of 22 points per game. He made the Knicks relevant again in the mid 2010's. The Nuggets got better right away after they drafted him. He got to play with Allen Iverson, and it kind of worked. It was cool for me to see him on OKC's team late in his career, there to help Russell Westbrook. He kind of remade himself when he went to play for the Trailblazers. Carmelo Anthony had an art to his offensive gameplan. He was a three level scorer. He could hit the three, make a mid range and attack the basket at will when he wanted to. He made headbands cool. He put up numbers. He remained relevant the majority of his career. Sure, he doesn't have an MVP or a title ring, but there's going to be a ton of guys like that very soon that will be Hall of Fame caliber players.

I look at a player like Carmelo Anthony the same way I look at current players like Damian Lillard or Paul George. No one will question their appearance on a Hall of Fame ballot, so I will not do that with Carmelo either. He is a generational offensive talent, and that is what the NBA has become. Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James were the two that kind of started this version of basketball that we are all watching now. So, if anyone asks me, I definitely think Carmelo Anthony is a first ballot Hall of Fame player, and I am kind of shocked that others don't. To each their own I guess. 

Ty

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

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What's Next for a Troubled Grizzlies Team?

I think I'm ready to talk about the Grizzlies relieving Taylor Jenkins of his job.

This has been tough for me as a fan of the Grizzlies. I like Taylor Jenkins. He kept this team relevant the past couple years. Last year, when seemingly everyone was hurt, he did the best he could with the roster he was given. I fully understand that they never made it out of the second round during his time there, but this is Memphis we are talking about. I love this team, but they cannot lure big time free agents, and when they luck out in the draft, those guys usually do their best work after leaving Memphis. This season they are currently back in the playoff hunt, and if they can turn the tide from their recent play, they can make the playoffs relatively easily without playing in the play-in tournament. But I guess this wasn't enough for the powers that be to keep Jenkins on their payroll.

When the news flashed on my phone I thought it was a mistake. I couldn't believe that they actually let him go. With more stories coming out since the news was released it seems like this had a lot to do with the current players and their dislike for the system Jenkins has been running this year. Now, the one name that has continually come up has been Ja Morant's. I've heard all kinds of things about him this season. He may be traded, he's going to test free agency, he was the main player voicing concern over Jenkins new system and then he flashed a arm and finger gun at the Warriors bench during their last game.

This is everything I've wanted to avoid with my rooting interest in this team. Morant served his suspension for flashing guns, and I was hoping that was going to be it for him. I figured he was going to put that in the past. It seems to be rearing its ugly head yet again. Then we have Desmond Bane shoving Santi Aldama during a huddle in a timeout. Players are openly beefing with one another during a game on national tv. Brandon Clarke is hurt again and out for the rest of this season. Jaren Jackson Jr can't stop fouling players. They couldn't trade Luke Kennard. It just seems to be one problem after the next with this team. And they can't back up all the trash they were talking a few years ago about embracing the bad guy image and being the new up and coming team. They are kind of crumbling currently, and the notion to let go of their head coach makes even less sense. Jenkins could have righted the ship. He could have stopped the bleeding. He has continuity with these guys. But they ripped the bandaid and now they have to find someone else to coach a team that is kind of a mess right now. I hoped that letting Dillon Brooks go was going to be best for the team, but it has only made the Rockets better. The Grizzlies are floundering and a coaching change was the absolute last thing they needed right now.

I truly do not know what is next for this team but I'm worried about them. I like this team so much but they can't seem to get anything right at the moment. And this coaching decision is only going to make it even harder come playoff time for the Grizzlies. This has really bummed me out. I'm curious to see how it all unfolds from here. 

Ty

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

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Ty Predicts the 2025 Men's Final Four

The men's final four has all four number 1 seeds. This seems like it will be the norm for some years to come. The top teams have the most money, they can spend it in NIL and the transfer portal and any good player is going to want to play for one of these storied programs. We should all get used to it. With that being said, I'm going to make some more picks. The final four is this weekend and the title game is next Monday. The college basketball season will be over before we know it.

On one side of the bracket we have an all SEC matchup featuring Auburn and Florida. This game, for me, comes down to the health of Johni Broome. Broome is going to be a top finisher for player of the year. He kind of controls Auburn's offense and defense. He is the veteran leader that every team craves. But, he got hurt in their elite eight game. He left for a few minutes, and when he came back he didn't look the same. If he is in any way not close to 100 percent, Auburn has little to no chance. Florida can score and score in bunches. They're one of the best offenses in the country. They can score from every level. They are balanced and lethal. If Broome was all good I think I'd go with Auburn. But, due to the uncertainty with his injury and Florida's ability to score in bunches, give me Florida to advance to the title game.

On the other side of the bracket, props to my dad for this, the real championship game is being played between Duke and Houston. These two teams have been the best all year long. They have been consistently ranked inside the top 5, they were easy number 1 seed picks and they have cruised, minus Houston's last game, to the final four. Duke is legit. As much as it pains me to write it, they are the best team in the country and they should be the favorite to win it all. They have depth, veterans, young dudes that are legit and they play both ends of the floor. Duke has three starters, all freshmen, that will be picked in the top 10 of the draft. That type of talent is hard to come by and Duke is crushing it with those dudes right now. The presumptive number one pick Cooper Flagg struggled in their last game. That didn't matter, Duke beat Alabama by 20. The other guys stepped up when they needed to. Duke is good. But don't sleep on Houston. They're in the final four for a reason. They earned a number 1 seed. They have experienced dudes that know how to win. And they know how to play ferocious, frustrating defense. Houston is the men's college basketball version of the Bad Boys Pistons, except they aren't dirty about it. Houston can also score. Their offense isn't great, but the defense is. The defense is what got them here and could catapult them to the title game, if they were playing a different team. This Duke team is too good to be beaten. It annoys the hell out of me how good they are at basketball. I've never, ever liked Duke, and it hurts to say good things about them, but here we are. These dudes can hoop. Duke will beat Houston in what will be the best game of the tourney.

My title game is Florida and Duke. I mean, why dance around it, Duke is going to win the title and probably win it going away. If Florida tries to outscore them, Duke can match it and go beyond. If Florida wants to turn it into a defensive game, go for it. Duke will find a plethora of guys that can score enough to win. I'm going to be angry and annoyed because it seems inevitable that Duke is the men's champ, and Cooper Flagg will almost certainly get Most Outstanding Player. I hope I'm wrong, but fear I'm not. I'll be rooting for every other team in the final four, but I don't think it matters in the long run. 

Ty

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

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Better Never than Late on "Kraven the Hunter"

I tend to enjoy movies that focus on antiheroes. I like these for some reason. Maybe it is the origin of how they came to be antiheroes or villains. Maybe it is the fact that these movies are a little more adult. Maybe I just enjoy a downer of a story. Anyway, with the influx of so many superhero movies, I tend to veer towards the antihero stuff.

With this being said, I recently watched "Kraven the Hunter". I read all the bad reviews. I saw what people were saying. I saw how it came and went from the theaters in a matter of days. None of that stopped me. I decided I still wanted to see the movie. I also enjoy Aaron Taylor Johnson. He seems to be a solid actor and usually picks good roles. I thought of all of this and made the incorrect decision to watch this horrible movie.

That's the honest truth. The critics, my friends and the movie theaters were all right. This movie was very, very, very bad. I wish I had listened to everyone else on this one. From the start I should have known. This movie was so boring. The whole idea of going back to when they were kids did not work for me. It was cliche after cliche. I get it, your dad is a bad guy. He's a drug dealer. He did shady stuff to your mom. He is a villain. But they just kept hammering it home. That was the first hour of the movie. I actually found myself dozing off. That shouldn't be the case for an antihero/action movie. I should never "rest my eyes" during a movie like this. They also take their best actor, Taylor Johnson, off screen the whole time. This movie is slightly over two hours long, and the main character is not even in the first hour. We don't see "Kraven", we get Sergei, who is boring as hell. And when we do get Kraven, it isn't much more fun. Sure, there's a few okay enough fight scenes, but they didn't last that long. They had this great setup with Kraven's brother being kidnapped, but it looked like the same scene being used over and over again. Taylor Johnson couldn't keep an accent that he wanted to use throughout the movie. At times he was a New Yorker. At others, he was English. And I think I even heard a bit of an Australian voice in there. His brother's voice was American when he was an adult, but Russian when he was a kid. Russell Crowe kept the Russian accent throughout, but Russell Crowe is a reliable actor. The lady that played Calypso had an American accent the whole time, but she acted like she didn't want to be in this movie at all. You could tell she knew this was a pile of trash.

I think the thing that made me dislike this movie so much was the poor execution of what could have been a very cool story. This felt thrown together. It had a major pandemic feel to it. I should have suspected it was going to be bad due to the constant pushback of the release day. There were so many signs to this movie being bad but I ignored them all. I decided I had to watch and that was a bad choice on my end.

Don't watch this movie. It is bad. It's not fun bad either, it is just bad bad. Don't make the same mistake I did. Skip "Kraven the Hunter". You'll thank me later. 

Ty

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

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