Ty Watches the 2024 NFL Draft

Round 1 of the NFL draft happened last night, and I have thoughts.

As you may remember, I did my preview on Wednesday with my five players I liked, five I was down on and two sleepers. Most of the ten players I mentioned on Wednesday were picked last night. The only ones who weren't were Cooper DeJean and my two Michigan "sleepers", Mike Sainristril and Junior Colson. So, of the twelve players I mentioned nine were picked in round 1. That is wild to me.

As for the draft, it was pretty wild, after the first five picks. We all knew that Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye were going to go 1, 2 and 3. I also feel like these three ended up with the best team's to fit their style of play. I feel as if these three dudes are happy and will have varying levels of success, but I think all will be relatively successful. Then we had the best prospect, Marvin Harrison Jr going to the Cardinals. This is perfect all around. MHJ is the instant number 1 wideout, Kyler Murray has a reliable target and the Cardinals have a cornerstone to build around. Then, as Jim Harbaugh is want to do, he took a big offensive tackle to shore up the o line. Then it got a little odd. Malik Nabers was the second wideout off the board to the Giants. I thought it would be Rome Odunze, but I was wrong. Then the Titans reached hard for JC Latham. No disrespect, but there are better o lineman available today to draft than Latham. He should be a fine starter, but not a world beater.

Then the Falcons went nuts and took Michael Penix Jr at 8th overall. I didn't believe my son when he told me the Falcons took Penix Jr. I think he is a very good QB, and I like him and want him to succeed, but why would the Falcons take him, and take him that high? They signed Kirk Cousins this offseason. They have a bunch of young talent that they haven't figured out how to use yet. They need help everywhere on defense. They hired a defensive minded coach. And they took a project QB who is already 24. This was stunning to me. I don't get it at all. These things are why I could never be a GM in the pros. This is a true head scratcher. This is akin to the Bears traded up from 3 to 2 a few years back to draft Mitch Trubisky. I was floored by this pick.

To wash the bad Trubisky taste out of their mouths, the Bears jumped up and took Rome Odunze to pair with Williams and Keenan Allen. It scares me what the Bears did last night being a Packers fan. They got two excellent players in the first nine picks last night. They were the opposite of the Falcons. They made smart picks that help their team. Then RD's Vikings took Michigan's JJ McCarthy. I have said that I have doubts about McCarthy as a pro, but this was his ideal place to be picked. He won't be under the microscope, he has Justin Jefferson to throw the ball too, has a great o line in front of him and he is going into a situation extremely suitable for a rookie QB who may be starting by mid season. It was chalk with the next pick, the Jets taking Olu Fashanu, they need line help.

And then the Broncos reached almost as hard as the Falcons and took Bo Nix. I do not like this pick one bit. Sean Payton is old school, Bo Nix seems soft, he is older than Penix Jr and not nearly as good. I'd be upset if I were a Broncos fan this morning.

Bowers to the Raiders is nothing special to me. They already have a tight end, but Bowers is younger. Then the Saints addressed issues with the o line and took Tailese Fuaga. Then it was three straight defensive picks, Laiatu Lati to the Colts, which helps their pass rush. Then Byron Murphy to the Seahawks and their defensive minded new head coach Mike McDonald. And Dallas Turner to the Vikings. That pick is more impactful to me than JJ McCarthy. Dallas Turner should help make a very bad defense a bit better. The Bengals got one of my favorite players in Amarius Mims. I don't know how Bengals fans feel about this pick, but I love it for them. He will be an all pro in a few years. The Rams took Jared Verse to help and replace Aaron Donald's retirement. They need defense, they need d lineman and they took one of the better ones in the draft. The Steelers took o lineman Troy Fantanu, who will start day one and is a good blocker. Chop Robinson went to the Dolphins next, and hopefully he can make up for some of the guys who left in free agency. The Eagles got the best defensive back in the draft in Quinyon Mitchell. This was the latest example of the Eagles lucking into a star talent in the draft. Brian Thomas Jr is going to the Jags to add depth in the wideout room. Terrion Arnold fits in perfectly in Detroit. The Packers took a big o lineman in Jordan Morgan, which I am stoked about. The Bucs took Graham Barton next, and he will be one of the best centers in the NFL in two years. The Cardinals, after taking MHJ at 4, got edge rusher Darius Robinson from Missouri. This kid is talented and will rack up tackles on the d line. The Chiefs took a big chance, which I think will pay off, drafting Xavier Worthy in round 1. He is fast as lightning, will get a chance from day one, and will be learning from Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. This is a homerun pick. And the final four picks were relatively chalk. The Cowboys got o line depth with Tyler Guyton. The Ravens got more secondary help with Nate Wiggins. The 49ers took Ricky Pearsall, who I was very unaware of, at 31. And the first round ended with the Panther getting Bryce Young an outside threat in Xavier Legette. He is big and fast.

Wrapping this up, I thought, for a draft, that this was kind of wild. It started relatively normal, but then the Falcons decided they wanted to be the talk of the sporting news this morning. And it only got nuttier from there. I'll be watching to see where the rest of the Michigan guys I like go, and where some other players I've watched for four year end up playing. The draft is always an exciting time for fans, and this year has upped the ante. Hopefully we get some more crazy stuff happening. Time will tell. 

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 "Fallout"

Recently my wife and I started to watch "Fallout" due to RD giving it some rave reviews. I didn't know much about the show, but I did hear Johnny Pemberton talk about it on a recent episode of the podcast "Doughboys". I have been a Johnny Pemberton fan ever since I first saw him on "Superstore". He was hilarious on that show, and that gave me the push to watch his standup and his other movie and tv appearances. I was an instant fan. Then, after listening to "Doughboys", RD and I were recording a podcast of our own, and he kept asking me if I had seen "Fallout", or if I was going to check it out. I mentioned the Johnny Pemberton stuff, and with the push from RD, that was all I needed to check it out. I told my wife I was going to start it, but she asked me to wait. She wanted to watch it as well. It was a wonderful surprise.

So, over the weekend, we started, and three episodes in, I'm all in. This is a good show. It is gory. It is violent. It is profane. It is bleak. It is hilarious. And it is doing some cool, interesting things for a newish tv show. I have never played the videogame that it is based on. I don't think RD has either. I know my wife hasn't either. But, I don't think you need to to watch this show. The characters look like what I have looked up on the internet from the game, but that is where it seems to end. This is a whole story outside the game from what I gather. This is new and unique to the show. And it works. I have been so excited to watch with each passing night. I'm doing a thing where I don't want to binge watch shows. That means one show a night. It makes for a much more fun experience watching a show. It reminds me of how I used to watch tv as a kid. It also helps build suspense. I am so ready to focus on the episode when we turn it on. I am fully locked in on what is happening on the screen. No phone, no Nintendo Switch. It is just me, my wife and "Fallout". I love it that way.

Outside Pemberton, who plays an army brat, the cast is pretty great. Ella Purnell is the lead. She is really awesome as a vault dweller. Her naivate is great to watch on screen. Kyle MacLachian plays her dad, and he has only been in the first episode so far, but it is clear there is more of him to come. Moises Arias plays her brother, and while he seems meek, his arc looks like it is going to take a cool turn. Leslie Uggams and Zach Cherry are on the vault board, and they are in over their heads. Aaron Moten plays Maximus, another Army brat, who is out doing his own thing in this wild post apocalyptic world.

And then we have Walton Goggins.

Walton Goggins may be the coolest person on Earth. He is so, so wonderful here as "The Ghoul". I have a whole piece coming up strictly dedicated to his acting career. That is for another day. But in "Fallout", Goggins continues to be so incredible. He makes a show instantly watchable when he is on screen. He is the absolute best.

Outside the acting, the scenery is rad. The world they created is dark and bleak and arid. It is a good look at a crazy possible outcome of a bomb. And even in the dark times the show has created, there is still humor peppered in and out of each episode. I find myself laughing a few times each episode.

I'm very glad this show is in my life now. I highly recommend people watch it if you have Prime. "Fallout" is very, very well made. Check it out. 

Ty

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

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Ty's 2024 NFL Draft Preview

The first round of the NFL draft starts tomorrow night. As I do every year, I will give you five prospects I like, five I'm not so high on and a few, let's say two, sleepers. I don't do mock drafts. I don't do draft day trades. I don't understand the whole salary cap stuff. I go off eye test. I watch a ton of college football, it is my favorite sport to watch. I know more about college football than any other sport I watch. So, while not a "expert", I think I know this stuff pretty well. Let's get to it.

I'll start with the players I like. This QB class is absolutely loaded. This may be the best crop of QB prospects in the last 10 years. And while Caleb Williams is awesome, and I have my doubts about JJ McCarthy, my favorite QB in this draft, by a long shot, is Jayden Daniels. He is an excellent thrower. He is a wonderful scrambler. He reminds me so much of Randall Cunningham. He is skinny. He needs to bulk up. But, he had the best statistical season of a Heisman QB winner ever. Stats aren't my favorite thing, but I could see how great he can be when I watched LSU this past season. Daniels is the best QB prospect for me. Whatever team picks him is getting a damn good QB. On the defensive side of the ball, I like Dallas Turner from Alabama. I did not see much of him until the Rose Bowl, and he impressed me. He is big, 6'4. He is strong, 250 plus pounds. And he is fast and mean. He can hit. He flies around the field. He played very well against Michigan's o line, which was one of the best in the country. Turner is a day one starter and should be very productive in the NFL. The wideout class in this draft is almost as stacked as the QB class. Therefore, I have two receivers in my personal top five. First we have Marvin Harrison Jr. He is the best overall prospect in this draft. He is the most surefire player. He looks like he is going to have a very long, very impressive career. I don't care about him not working out or going to combine at all. What he did on the football field during games was all I needed to see. Second, we have Rome Odunze. He was the one player that really terrified me going into the college playoff championship against Michigan. He is sure handed, he is big, he is an excellent route runner and he is very fast. He is built like a ready made NFL number 1 receiver. I would jump for joy if Green Bay was somehow able to grab him. Odunze is awesome. My last player that I like, Amarius Mims. He only played nine games his whole college career. He is big, yet hyper athletic. He is raw, but when he figures it out, watch the hell out. He is going to maul players on defense. He is going to become one of the better run blockers in all of football. What he did in his short college career would be so enticing to me. He needs time, but in the end, it will be worth it.

Now to the players I'm not so high on. First off, Bo nix. He is too old. He is not a scrambler. He stayed in college far too long. He was a product of a system. I don't see it, and if he gets picked in round one, that would be a waste of a pick. Then we have Olu Fashanu on the o line. This kid is solid. He is big and can maul people from time to time. But when he had to face a real defense, Michigan for one, he got eaten up by Braiden McGregor and Josiah Stewart. He couldn't keep up with the speed. He got eaten up all afternoon in that game. Fashanu is going to be a long time starter, but being a top 10 pick seems like a reach. On defense I'm not so big on Byron Murphy from Texas. I think there are better options in round one for teams in need of d line depth and production. Murphy seems to be higher on mocks than a guy like Jer'Zhon Newton from Illinois. Newton is a better prospect. I think Chop Robinson is a better pass rusher. And Murphy is nowhere close to Laiatu Latu. Murphy is going to be overdrafted if he goes round 1. I don't like the way Brock Bowers came back after his injury. He was a no doubt first rounder pre injury, but afterward, he just doesn't look the same. He seems slower. His blocking didn't improve far too much. He sat out a bowl game that could have upped his draft stock. I don't like the way his season ended. He will be over drafted. Finally, I think Cooper DeJean is wildly overrated. DeJean got hurt, and hurt bad this past season. He is not the best punt returner. He is just an okay corner. He is small and slow. I'm not a fan at all, which means the Packers will probably take him, and it will drive me nuts. DeJean may be my personal most overrated player in the entire draft.

As for my sleepers, I'm going full on homer here and taking two Michigan guys. First, give me Mike Sainristil all day. He switched positions and became one of the best nickel corners in the country. He did what was best for the team and for himself. He is a great tackler. He can guard slot guys one on one. He is incredibly smart. He can read offenses. And then you have his background as a wideout, which makes him an interception machine. I would reach hardcore for him, possibly in round one. Finally, I have Junior Colson. He is one of the best linebackers to ever come out of Michigan. He was consistent. He was a tackling machine. He can cover backs out of the backfield. He played with broken hands and still put up numbers. He led the best defense in the country last year. Colson is going to be an under the radar guy his whole career, which will probably last well over a decade and most likely end up in the hall of fame. I adore Junior Colson.

That is it for my draft preview. Get ready to see a bunch of QB's and wideouts go tomorrow night. And then when round two starts, that will be where we see some true future stars getting drafted. 

Ty

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

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Going to a UFL Game Isn't That Bad

I try to take my son to a professional sporting event every year. We usually go to a NBA game, but time got the best of us this year and we couldn't make it. But, here in Saint Louis we have a UFL team, the Battlehawks. I went and now I want to talk about it.

I have never seen a live XFL, USFL or UFL game. I have watched them on tv, but it was never really the same as an NFL game. I love going to college football games the most, and I fully believe that my dad and I are going to take my son to his first Michigan game this upcoming season. But, until then we have to settle for UFL football. So, I decided we were going to go to a Battlehawks game a few weeks back, and the time had arrived. The timing worked out well and the prices were pretty great. I got us a couple of tickets in the corner, about 12 rows up.

First things first, these seats were great. We could see the whole field if we were standing. We could see the Battlehawks bench. I saw trainers coming in to stretch players out, and we could see the teams when they were close to scoring on our end. I really loved these seats. My son said pretty much the same thing the moment we walked into the stadium. We were both pretty impressed. All the pageantry and little games they played and scoreboard contests were your typical fair. They hid a football in three helmets and you had to guess which one it was in. The cheerleaders threw t-shirts into the crowd. They had dance contests. They were putting people on the scoreboard a bunch. It was run of the mill with that stuff. The food was gross and overpriced. Eat before you go to the Dome at America's Center here in the STL. The toasted raviolis were chewy and the hot dog, according to my son, was oddly dry. And lunch cost us, mind you this is two hotdogs, two orders of t ravs and two drinks, was 58 dollars. Nuts.

The product on the field wasn't great football. These are the minor leagues. These are dudes that had a chance and got cut or guys just trying to make it. It's not great. But, the Battlehawks are actually pretty damn good. They are a heavy passing offense. AJ McCarron threw the ball well over 40 times. But, they can run a little bit too. Their offense is pretty solid. The defense, with former Michigan corner Lavert Hill, is pretty solid too. They group tackle, they play okay enough defense in the secondary and the d line got pressure all afternoon. Even if the football isn't great, at least the Battlehawks are one of the better teams in the UFL.

The fans were not the best. I hate to say it, but the Battlehawks fans are annoying and loud. They complain about some of the players as if they can do their job better. People stand in front of you the whole time. I feel like a lot of people just get wasted during the game. And it is so loud that I could barely hear my son when he would talk to me. As for the Dome, it is still a pile of garbage. It is way too big, way too vast and not the cleanest place in the world. Getting in and out is tough and you have to walk a lot, which I don't mind, but I know other people do.

But, to see how much fun my son was having, to see him be able to meet up with a friend at a pro football game, to see him tell me about these guys, it all made it worth the time. He seemed to be having a wonderful afternoon. He got to dictate most of the day, which makes him ecstatic. He was so happy to be out there watching pro athletes do their thing. His joy made the day so much fun for me. And it was great to spend some one on one time with him.

Would I go again? In a heartbeat, as long as my son was going to be there as well. He made it so fun for me. And I know he had a great time too. 

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Civil War"

I went out and saw "Civil War" in the theaters yesterday. I was told by RD, my mom and dad that I should see the movie. I watched a few previews, read one spoiler free review and made up my mind, although it was pretty made up with the recommendations from family members. I went to a 1:30 show and it was about half full. This movie has been out for two weeks now and people are still going to see it.

This movie is an important one. People need to see this movie. This should be required viewing for all Americans. I think this may be the most important movie of the decade. This is an unflinching look at what America could become if we continue to go down the path of dictatorship. This movie is brutal. This movie is unrelenting. This is not a happy movie. There is not a happy ending. There are no heroes. I was exhausted after watching the movie. I am still thinking about stuff I saw and it has been almost 24 hours since seeing it.

Again I say, this should be required viewing. My fear though, the people who need to see this movie, who may be persuaded by this movie, will either hate it or not see it. I looked around at the crowd yesterday and they looked like me. I look like a liberal because I am a liberal. I vote democrat. I always have and always will. That was the vibe I got from the crowd. And that is great. It is clear that we are seeing this movie because it is vital for us to try and do anything we can to stop this from happening. But we already have that view on the world. I want things to get better. I want people to make decisions based on facts and science. I want the world to be a loving and accepting place. But the people that may be avoiding this movie, may be against this movie, they won't go see it or they won't open their minds if they see it. They have made their minds up. That is scary.

The scariest thing about this movie is that it could very well happen at any moment. And the militant and fascist racists out there, all they need is a reason to do the horrible things they want to do. That is all on screen. Jesse Plemons' character is terrifying. Nick Offerman's portrayal of a dictator turned president is a real possibility. The journalists, played by Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny and Stephen McKinley Henderson are all out for their own good. They want the picture and the story that will make them famous. By the way, Kirsten Dunst is magnetic in this movie. She does an amazing job portraying someone just doing their job and trying to make it in the crazy world in "Civil War". She deserves awards recognition. But again, she is out to get the best photograph. She wants to be remembered for her work. As I said up top, there are no good people in the movie and I think that is the whole point.

I believe this movie was put out to show how truly, truly awful things could get if we don't make changes. I don't want to have to live in a world where we ration for water or have to stay in internment camps or try and act like something awful isn't going on in the world. I want to live happily and free. Be in the land of the free and home of the brave. That doesn't seem possible in Garland's "Civil War". Things can change. Things can get better. But we have to recognize and not accept the dictators and militants in the current world. I don't want to live inside a Civil War.

This is a very important piece of content that needs to become required viewing. Go see this movie ASAP. 

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 "Love, Death, and Robots"

RD and I were having a conversation the other day and he brought up the Netflix series, "Love, Death and Robots". This was not the first time I had heard about this show. Nick Wiger talks about it quite a bit on his many podcasts. I have heard some friends bring it up. I have read about it before. But, it wasn't until my brother was talking about it, he hasn't seen it to the best of my knowledge, that I finally felt intrigued to actually watch the show. RD has, for the most part, been a good barometer for me when it comes to good tv or movies. I trust his opinion. So, after we talked about it, and I was sitting down folding clothes, that is when most of my tv watching is done, I decided to give "Love, Death and Robots" a try.

I was immediately hooked. From the first episode I saw, episode one of the third volume, I wanted to watch more and more. I couldn't figure out why Netflix decided to start me on the third volume, but then I read some stuff. I guess "LDR" gives you four episodes they think you'll like based on what you have watched before. I also read that they just start you with the most recent stuff. Either way, the first episode of the third volume was all I really needed to get hooked. It was three robots, who looked familiar to me from seeing stuff on the internet, trolling around the remains of humanity. All the people were gone, but buildings and the like were still there. The robots checked it out, made some jokes, poked fun at the human race and the episode was over. I couldn't believe it was over and done within ten minutes. Then I looked up some other episodes and the usual run time is anywhere from six minutes to twenty-two minutes. This was another feather in its cap. I love content that doesn't drag. "LDR" tells a story very quickly. They get you in and out asap. And there is nothing really left to the imagination. They tell a well thought out, full tale.

After the first episode I saw I thought they may all have a funny tilt to them. Some do, but the stories cover a wide variety of genres. There's comedy, sci fi, drama, horror, brutal wars being fought, zombies, AI gone awry, there are so many more that I will not name right now. I love that. "LDR" doesn't have to stay in one lane. They go for it in any genre. And each episode is animated differently. The amount of work that goes into each episode is amazing. And it comes off beautifully. The David Fincher directed episode "Bad Travelling" is a work of art in the horror genre. "Jibaro" is one of the coolest, and most colorful things I've seen. And each episode is different and cool and offers almost everything to any watcher. "LDR" reminds of a Quibi version of "Black Mirror". They tell the horrors and the ills and even some of the good about technology and the future.

I cannot recommend this series enough. It is one of the most inventive things that tv has ever given us. I will most likely finish it all within the next week, which will only make me want to see more. Go check this show out. It is masterful. 

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 Jontay Porter Saga

Jontay Porter was banned for life from the NBA yesterday. Let’s discuss.

This is a way bigger deal than most will make it out to be. Jontay Porter isn't a big name. He isn't an all star. He doesn't have big numbers. He was undrafted and played very sparingly. But what he did is the exact same thing that Pete Rose did to get booted from the MLB. He bet on tons of games with tons of parlays and gave insider info to other gamblers. In fact, what Porter did may be worse than what Pete Rose did when you break it down. He placed an 80,000 dollar bet that, if it had cashed, he could have won 1.1 million dollars. He placed 13 separate bets with an associates online betting account. He also placed a prop bet, I guess based on minutes played, for a game in which he only played a few minutes. He checked himself out because he said that he "wasn't feeling well". I mean, how dumb do you have to be?

Seriously, how did it get this bad for Porter? Why did he have to gamble on these games? What was there to gain for him, basically shaving points? I get that he was a two way player. I understand that he was probably making whatever the league minimum is for NBA players. I'm sure he was making as much as the last few players on the bench. But he was still getting paid pretty well for a bench guy in the NBA. The league minimum for an NBA player is 1.1 million dollars. So, by just being a deep bench player, after getting called up to the Raptors in a down year for them, he was still a millionaire. He was still making six figures. His family was making money hand over fist. His brother, Michael Porter Jr, makes a ton of money playing for the Nuggets. So, I have to believe this was not about the money. There is something else at stake here.

I, if I had to guess, would say that Porter liked the thrill, and by playing in some of these games that were being bet on, he could control the outcome. I have to think that by putting 80 grand on a prop bet, he was excited by the thrill of making close to his base salary on one single bet. I would guess that he is a gambling addict, and I wonder how deep this goes for him. He had no reason to do it. He has more than enough money. So, to continually bet over and over again, that is the sign of a true addict. He couldn't get enough of it. And when he could control some of the bets a little bit, he got greedy. He took it too far. He went way over the line. This could have been stopped. He could have told the people he was placing bets with that he was done. His brother could have tried to stop him. But, like a true addict, he just had to bet. I wonder if the 80 grand bet was him thinking, this is the last one and then I'm out. But, I have to venture to think that it wasn't the last one. Not by a long shot. And now Jontay Porter is paying the price for his addiction. He is no longer allowed in the league that he worked so hard to make it to. He can't even play in the G League. He is going to have to settle for a professional league overseas, if any team will even sign him.

This is a bad look for Jontay Porter. He is done. His NBA days are officially over, and all for some stupid bets. There are many reasons not to gamble, and Porter may have found the main reason why not. His NBA career is over and he did it to himself. That is a bummer. 

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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Blake Griffin was a Good, Not Hall of Fame, NBA Player

Blake Griffin officially retired from the NBA after 14 years yesterday. Let’s discuss.

Blake Griffin was an exciting, emphatic dunker in his prime. He would do some of the most amazing dunks I had seen since Shawn Kemp. I do feel like some of them, the dunk contest where he "jumped" over a car, were a bit overrated. But, nonetheless, he was a very good in-game dunker. He put a bunch of people on posters. As his athleticism waned, he found, kind of, a jumper. He was never a true threat from the outside, but he could hit the free throw line jumper more times than not. He was an okay enough rebounder, did his part sometimes on defense and the dunking, that was pretty great. I fully believe that is what he will be remembered for most, the dunking. He was one of the best to dunk when he would really go for it. But, a question I saw on social media after his announcement really got me thinking.

After the retirement was released, a person asked if Blake Griffin was a hall of fame basketball player. My gut reaction was no. Outside the dunking, what did he really do to be a hall of famer? He never won a ring. He was a six time all star. He never made first team all NBA. He did make second team three times and third team twice. Other than that, his only other accolades are 2011 rookie of the year and 2011 slam dunk contest champ. No MVP award. No all defense. No conference finals appearances.In his 14 years he played in 68 playoff games. He shot less than 50 percent from the field. He was under 38 percent from 3. And for his playoff career, he was an 18 point per game player who also added 7.7 rebounds. For a 6'9 power forward, seven rebounds per game is not as much as I expected.

Again, Griffin, while a fine player, I do not look at these career numbers and think, hall of fame. His dunking was electric. The way the whole team stood up to the monstrous owner Donald Sterling, which I have to believe Griffin was one of the leaders to stand against that monster, was wonderful. Getting traded to Detroit, which was not on his radar after signing a max contract with the Clippers, and guiding that team to the playoffs kept him relevant. But then we have the Nets and Celtics to close out his career. I actually forgot he was on the Celtics until he announced his retirement. Griffin came into the league like a flash. He did some hyper athletic things. He made tons and tons of highlight reels. He made the Clippers fun and must watch tv. But he does not have the resume to be in the hall of fame. He doesn't have the numbers, the rings, the awards.

While fun to watch, Blake Griffin is not a hall of fame basketball player. Enjoy retirement. I'm sure Blake Griffin has a great comic and acting career ahead of him. He should strive for the hall of fame in those categories. 

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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R.I.P. Whitey Herzog

After I returned home from coffee and a run I read that Whitey Herzog had passed away. This one hits a little differently. Every time someone passes away, for the most part, it is a sad day. When it's family it hits hardest. When it is friends it hits almost as hard. When it is someone you are a fan of, or appreciate their work, it has a different feel, but it is still a little painful. That is how Herzog's death has hit me.

Whitey Herzog was the manager of the Cardinals when baseball was the most important thing in the world to me. I knew of the MLB, but it wasn't until the Cardinals teams coached by Herzog that I became a big fan. I have lived in Saint Louis my whole life. I have never lived in a different place. But, the Cardinals are the only Saint Louis based team that I have ever openly rooted for. I have to think that all started with Whitey Herzog. Herzog made the game of baseball fun for a kid to watch. His teams were fast. They stole a ton of bases. They hit line drives. They hit to get on base. They played great defense. They won a bunch of games.

I was introduced to players like Ozzie Smith, Vince Coleman, Willie McGee, Keith Hernandez, Jose Oquendo and Joaquin Andujar. These were formidable players in my growth as a fan. Willie McGee is my all time favorite Cardinal and one of my all time favorite players. Jose Oquendo could play every position and was an absolute blast to watch. Vince Coleman was as fast as any player that I ever watched. Ozzie Smith was the greatest defensive shortstop of all time. And Joaquin Andujar had the coolest pitching motion when he was in the league. Herzog coached all of them, and coached them very well. He won a title. He took them to two more World Series appearances. He won his division six times and won three pennants. His number 24 is retired by the Cardinals. He won well over 1200 games as a manager, 700 of which came as the Cardinals head man. He was manager of the year in 1985. And he is in the Royals and Cardinals hall of fame.

Whitey Herzog is a beloved figure in baseball and a big time hero in Saint Louis. All of us Cardinals fans love him and miss him greatly. He is an MLB hall of famer. He created "Whiteyball", which was the best way to watch a game on tv. He concentrated on the important stuff. As said at the top, this team was fast. They stole as many bases as they could. They were almost always on the move. Their defense was the best that baseball may have ever seen in its heyday. They stopped everything all the time. There was nothing better to watch than Ozzie Smith vacuuming up everything at shortstop. Their pitching was key as well. They needed starters to go deep, and then the bullpen was lockdown. They instilled fear in their opponents without having to hit homers all the time. They were such a good all around team that played the game ahead of its time. I was enamored by their play.

Whitey Herzog is a legend. He achieved the highest of highs that a professional player and coach could dream of doing. He has the rings, the accolades and the love of people who played, watched and coached the game. Rest in Peace Whitey Herzog. You will be missed. 

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.

Ty Predicts the 2024 NBA Playoffs

The NBA playoffs are set. And I'm here to give my predictions. I love this time of the sports year. I love the NBA, and the playoffs are the best of the best. This is when it all gets good. I even enjoy the hell out of the play in. I cannot wait to start watching it tomorrow night. I'll start with the East and go from there. I'll pick the conference winners and some playoff award winners. Let's get to it.

The play in in the East features the Heat and 76ers in the 7-8 match up and Hawks and Bulls in the 9-10. This 9-10 game is rough stuff. These two teams are not great. I'm going to go with the Bulls to get out of the first part of the play in. The Hawks are not a good team. They have struggled all season long. The 7-8 game is going to be awesome. I love this match up. I'm going with the 76ers. Joel Embiid has been as good as ever since coming back and they are getting in a groove heading into the first round. As for the 8 seed, we have the Bulls and Heat. The Heat will win and win with ease. They get the 8 seed.

So, this gives us first round match ups of Celtics-Heat, Knicks-76ers, Bucks-Pacers and Cavs-Magic. I like all of these match ups to be honest with you. The Celtics will not be stoked to see the Heat in round one. They beat them last season, they are not afraid of them and Erik Spoelstra is a great playoff coach. The Celtics should, and will win. They are the better team and they have something to prove this season. But, it will be closer than they want the series to be. I'll go Celtics in six. The Knicks got the 2 seed, which is a big deal for them. Their reward, the 76ers. I like the Knicks and the NBA is way more fun when they are better. But they will not be able to stop Embiid. He has something to prove as well, and I see big things from him this postseason. Give me the 76ers in seven tough fought games. The Bucks have looked off all season. They just cannot seem to get right. They look odd on the floor, they get injured far too often and their defense is mediocre. But the Pacers have struggled to close the season out. They are nowhere near as good as they were a few months ago. I am having a hard time with this pick, but I'm going to go with the Bucks in seven, if Giannis is fully healthy for this series. Finally we have the Cavs and Magic. This is my favorite first round East series. I love everything about this. Both teams are young and fun and play some solid defense. I'm going with the Magic to win in seven games. Their defense is better, they are going to muddy the game up and their fans are going to be ravenous.

This gives me second round match ups of Celtics-Magic and Bucks-76ers. This is the best the NBA could hope for from the East. As awesome as it would be to see the Magic make it to the East Finals, it is not happening. While their defense is very, very good, elite even, the Celtics have so many weapons to counter the Magic defense. I actually think this series will be a little less tough than the first round. Give me the Celtics in five. I cannot wait to watch the 76ers-Bucks series if it comes to that. These are two teams going in two seperate directions, and the 76ers are going to run with it. Embiid is going to crush. Lillard will not be able to match Tyrese Maxey. Tobias Harris is going to score at will. Give me the 76ers in seven.

That give us the Celtics and 76ers in the East Finals. I will be rooting for, and I want the 76ers to win. I want Embiid to announce himself big time. But, the Celtics are simply a better team and they will prove it once again. The Celtics are the East champs and they will be in the Finals. They win that series in six games.

Now to the varsity, the Western conference.

The play in in the West features the Pelicans-Lakers in the 7-8 game and the Kings and Warriors in the 9-10. The Lakers will beat the Pelicans. They may need help from the refs, but they will find a way to get that 7 seed. The Kings are just too banged up to compete with the Warriors right now, so give me the Warriors in the 9-10 game. As for the Pelicans and Warriors to get the 8 seed, give me the Pelicans. The Warriors are old, they have been inconsistent and Zion Williamson is going to go the hell off against them. This may be a moment when we see the Warriors as we know them start to make a change.

So that gives us match ups of Thunder-Pelicans, Nuggets-Lakers, Timberwolves-Suns and Mavericks-Clippers in round one. The Thunder are going to run over the Pelicans. They are deeper, younger, more fun and play with an intensity unmatched by other teams. SGA is going to flourish in this series. Give me the Thunder in five games. The Nuggets may very well sweep the Lakers again. Anthony Davis has been amazing this season and he has stayed healthy. He will be a problem for the Nuggets. So will LeBron James, who is as good as ever at 38 years old. But outside those two guys the Lakers are seriously lacking. The Nuggets are not, and they have been pretty damn good since the all star break. I may not like watching them play, I may find them dull and boring, but they are still a very, very good team. Give me Nuggets in five. I am stoked to watch the T'Wolves-Suns series. It is going to be rad. I cannot wait to watch Anthony Edwards in the playoffs as the focal point of a high seed. He is so good, so fun and an absolute joy to watch play. The T'Wolves also have the best defense in all of basketball. Gobert is stifling. Jaden Daniels is long and mean. Edwards steps up on that end. This team goes hard on defense. The Suns do not. But, they have an explosive offense when they are clicking. KD is one of the greatest to ever play. Devin Booker is a mid range killer and Bradley Beal, if healthy, adds three point shooting and solid passing skills. But, I just don't think their defense will be able to keep up with the T'Wolves. And AE is going to explode on the scene these playoffs. Give me the Timberwolves in six games. The 4-5 series is the third time the Mavs and Clippers have faced off. And I know that all the white dudes that work at, or for, ESPN want Luka Doncic to finally beat this team. They want their advanced stats king to prove how great he can be. Kyrie Irving has been everything the Mavs could have asked for when they traded for him. And the trades they made this season have paid off brilliantly. The Clippers have the names. Kawhi and PG13 are awesome. They come up big almost all of the time. Terrance Mann is a great bench scorer. Tyron Lue is an awesome coach. These two teams have the names and the city power behind them. They have the brewing rivalry. They have met in some epic match ups prior to this one. I want the Clippers to win. I adore Kawhi Leonard. But I think this is the Mavs time to finally get past them. I'll take the Mavs in seven.

So our West second round features the Thunder and Mavs and the T'Wolves and Nuggets. Two young teams on one side, two division opponents on the other side. I like it. I want the Thunder to win. I'd much rather watch them go to the West finals. I want to watch players like SGA, Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort play further in the playoffs. But, I don't think it will happen. Doncic is a good scorer and has the refs on his side. Kyrie Irving has played great in the biggest moments. Daniel Gafford has been on a tear. The Mavs are going to win in seven, make a return trip to the West finals and the media is going to be insufferable. The Nuggets will end up beating the T'Wolves, but it will not be pretty or fun for the Nuggets. Their size messes with the Nuggets. The griminess with which they play puts a wrench in what the Nuggets want to do. But, in the end, the Nuggets are better and have the pedigree. The T'Wolves are coming, just not this season.

Now we have my least favorite West finals match up. This is going to be heaven for the white nerds at ESPN. They'll get to talk all series about how great Doncic and Jokic are. They will constantly talk about advanced stats and how great the passing is in the series. I'm going to loathe every single second of this match up. The Nuggets will win in six and return to defend their championship.

That leaves us with the Nuggets and the Celtics in the Finals. This is the best match up the NBA could get. These are the two best teams in the NBA. They have been all season. I'm going to go with the Celtics to break through and win the title. In beating the Heat and the 76ers in the playoffs will give them the edge they need to win it all. It is the Celtics time and they will bring it home this season. They will win it all in seven games.

As for postseason awards, the only one that really matters is Finals MVP. I'll take Jayson Tatum. This is his time to shine and his time to prove his worth. He will do so and bring home the Larry O'Brien and the Finals MVP trophy. Real quick, I want to do my regular season awards. My MVP is SGA. He has been incredible all season and he has earned this award. Defensive player of the year is Victor Webanyama. This will be his first of many. Wemby will also win rookie of the year. Coach of the year for me is Mark Dagnault. To have the Thunder, this young, as the number 1 seed in the West is amazing. Finally, my sixth man of the year is Naz Reid, who filled in quite well while KAT was out.

That does it for my playoff and award predictions for the 2023-24 NBA season and postseason. It all starts tomorrow. I cannot wait. 

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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SeedSing Classic: An Ode to a Tomahawk Steak I Recently Ate

This article was originally published on March 3rd, 2023

During Valentine's Day my wife got me a tomahawk steak. I have seen these on cooking shows a lot and I was intrigued. These steaks are humongous and they have a bone sticking out of them. They are marbled nicely and from what the people on the cooking shows say, they taste great.

This is a Valentine's Day thing in my house. We don’t do big gifts, but my wife does like to make a nice meal. That is my gift, the meal. So when she surprised me with these tomahawk steaks this year I was stoked. We didn't really know how to cook them, but my wife was determined to figure it out. I usually do the steaks and burgers in our house, but as the other part of my gift she makes the meal. My wife also loves to cook and is far better at it than me. What she decided to do was give them a nice sear on a flattop that her mom gave us. This flattop is amazing and I cannot recommend it enough. So she seared them and finished them off in the oven.

When she busted this steak out to serve my eyes nearly bulged out of my head. I could not believe what I was seeing and I was here for it. The steak looked immaculate. My wife went simple with seasoning, salt and pepper, and let the meat do the rest of the heavy lifting. I am usually a strip steak guy, and it is still my personal favorite cut, but this tomahawk cut is right up there. My wife said the same. She is a filet fan but she was singing its praises as we sat down to eat. My son had to try some as well, he loves steak, but my daughter was not interested. All good, more steak for me. I got a full one to myself. When my wife plated it, the bone was hanging off the edge. It also looked like some marrow had cooked out of it. I was super tempted to try it, but I've never had bone marrow before and was hesitant. I think when I do finally try bone marrow I want to get it at a steakhouse, or a restaurant that knows what they are doing. But this steak, my goodness, was tasty. It almost did not even need a knife. It was buttery and so easy to cut. The marbling on it was like eating butter. It did not need a sauce or any jus because my wife got a perfect mid rare cook on it. I would cut a piece, dip it in the, not to be gross, but blood, and chomp down on it. It was a euphoric eating experience for me. I was so happy. I had a smile on my face the entire time. Add on the fact that it came with a lobster tail and creamed spinach, this meal was meant for me. I tried as hard as I could to eat the whole tomahawk steak but it could not be done. This thing was massive. I did overeat and felt very tired afterward, but it was totally worth it. I asked my wife and son if they enjoyed the steak and they both nodded in agreement. In fact, my son and I were just talking about it the other day.

Not finishing a steak usually leads to mediocre leftovers, but not with this tomahawk. When I have leftover steak and try to reheat it I always go over. The tomahawk kept a very solid mid rare temperature and was fantastic with some eggs and coffee the next morning for breakfast. It was the fanciest steak and eggs I have ever had.

If you are a meat lover like myself, and have the means to get one, try one of these tomahawk steaks. The novelty is very cool and all, but these steaks, if cooked properly, are very, very good. As I said above, I would still pick strip steak over any other cut, but tomahawk is now a firm second option. This steak was fantastic. 

Ty

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

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An Ode to the Comedy Stylings of Kyle Mooney

My algorithm for my Instagram reels has been throwing a bunch of comedy stuff my way. I love it. I'm a big fan of standup. I get a bunch of standup clips now. My favorite movies are comedies. I get plenty of trailers and classic scenes now. And I love going back and watching "SNL" clips and cast members doing their own thing. One such cast member that has been showing up a bunch lately is Kyle Mooney.

I adore Kyle Mooney. I think he might be one of the most underrated and funniest cast members of all time on "SNL". He has been around longer than most of you think, and his hit rate is pretty damn high. Mooney did some of my favorite things on "SNL". He used to show up as a 90's stand up on weekend update when he was on the show and it was the funniest thing in the world to me. He was so deadpan. His jokes were awful. Even when he pandered to the crowd it was met with crickets. And that was the whole point. I loved this character so much that I would sit on my couch howling at this portrayal. My wife was not a fan, but I fully bought in from day one. He used to do digital shorts with Beck Bennett that were bizarre and hilarious. I liked these shorts as much as The Lonely Island stuff. Whenever he would show up in pretty much any sketch I was stoked and his appearance took it up a notch for me as a viewer.  When he did stuff outside of "SNL" I was almost assured to watch. The movie he made, "Brigsby Bear" is funny, sad, heartwarming and so memorable. The fact that Mooney starred and was a writer on this movie made me so happy. This was a role that let him stretch, but also do what he does best, and it is a highly underrated gem. I have so many vivid memories of that movie and they are all good. People need to watch that movie. His one appearance on "Parks and Rec", where he interviews to be Ron's assistant, let him do his awkward comedy at his best. He appeared on the first show from Jessica St Clair and Lennon Parham, another underrated gem, "Best Friends Forever", and while I don't remember much, I do remember Mooney's one episode. He had a solid run on "Hello Ladies", the show from the original "The Office" creator, Stephen Merchant. He did a one off appearance on the "Comedy Bang! Bang!" television show. He reprised his "Hello Ladies" role for the movie. He was very memorable in the movie "Hello, My Name is Doris". And his most recent tv show, "Saturday Morning All Star Hits" sees him playing twin brothers on a 90's sketch show. It is funny, weird and incredibly dark. It is like a much darker version of "Brigsby Bear". I really enjoyed the first season of that show. I hope it comes back.

I feel like Mooney is right up there, as far as sketch stuff goes, with someone like Tim Robinson. Mooney can be much, much darker too. As for the Instagram reels, his stuff is riotous. He goes around interviewing people, all the while he is being very awkward and very bizarre. And I find myself cracking up every time at each new video, of which he puts out daily. Kyle Mooney has an old filter as far as comedy goes, and that works for me so much. I get excited when I see a new video. When he shows up in a movie or on a tv show or on a podcast, that makes it even more of a must see or listen for me.

Kyle Mooney is an underappreciated comedic genius. If you like awkward comedy, he may be the best one doing it out there right now. Give him a shot and I bet you will not be disappointed. Kyle Mooney rocks. 

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.

John Calipari's "Best" Coaching Days are Behind Him

In somewhat of a shocking move, John Calipari is leaving Kentucky to take the men's head coaching job at Arkansas. I thought this was a joke article when I first read it on Monday. I thought there was no way Calipari was going to leave Kentucky for a lesser college basketball job.

First off, that is no knock on Arkansas. Arkansas was a power in the early 90's. I can vividly remember Corliss Williamson and the 40 minutes of hell pressure that team played with. They were fun to watch. Nolan Richardson was a great coach. He ran a full on press defense and his teams ran up and down the floor. They were relentless. But that was over 20 years ago. Hell, it was damn near 30 years ago. Arkansas has had a few "deep" tourney runs since then, but nothing ever compared to the 40 minutes of hell team that was dominant.

On the other side, Kentucky has always been solid. There were a few down seasons, but those were outliers. Kentucky was a perennial top 25 team. They were usually a 4 seed or better in the tourney. They made runs deep into the tournament. They won a title with Anthony Davis. Calipari recruited his ass off while at Kentucky. He still may do the same at Arkansas, as far as his recruiting prowess, but wins and long tourney runs will be tough to come by. He will have to return to Kentucky to play them every year. Auburn, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida were all tourney teams. Hell, Tennessee was an elite eight team. Alabama was a final four team. The SEC is tough, and Arkansas is not immune to that toughness.

I have also always said that while he is an elite recruiter, maybe the best ever, Calipari is not a very good X's and O's coach. He seems to do less with more than most other coaches. Calipari is always bringing in 5 star players, but he has not been out of the first round in three of his last four tournament appearances as a head coach. Oakland torched him with threes this tourney, and he never made a proper adjustment. While at Memphis and UMASS he could never adapt to beating the best of the best. He had a title in the palm of his hands while at Memphis, but due to his lack of adjustments, Kansas was able to come back and win in overtime. Mario Chalmers was unstoppable due to Calipari deciding to never guard him. He coached Marcus Camby, quite possibly the best college center ever, while at UMASS, and they made the final four once. That appearance had nothing to do with Calipari's coaching. It was all due to Camby's brilliance in college. I think he is going to find it as hard as ever at Arkansas. He doesn't have the resources he had at Kentucky. He doesn't have the cool city he had at Memphis. He has way bigger expectations than what he had at UMASS.

This is all a very confusing, very tough move from Calipari. I look at this like Nick Saban walking away, but Saban retired. Calipari still wants to coach, just at a lower level. I almost think he is bored and wants a more difficult spot to recruit in. But, the SEC is going to recruit just as hard. The Big 10 is expanded, thus making recruiting harder. UCONN is the best of the best and he will have to compete for the best talent with them. The ACC still has Duke and UNC, which are still pretty damn good at recruiting and have younger coaches. This is a head scratching move. I really don't get it. He will bring a bunch of more viewers to Arkansas games, but I do not see him reliving the glory days of Nolan Richardson. In fact, I don't think he will even get close. 

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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It is UConn and then Everybody Else in College Basketball

The Connecticut men's basketball team won their second straight title last night. They did it with relative ease. It never seemed like it was in doubt for any amount of time during the game last night. I was rooting for Purdue for a few reasons. My sister in law is an alum and a big fan. I wanted the Big 10 to get the title in college football and men's basketball. That would have been pretty cool for the conference. I like Zach Edey. And boy did he deliver last night. But, in all honesty, even before turning on the game I figured UConn was going to win. After the game against Illinois it seemed inevitable.

UConn has been the best team in college basketball for the past two seasons. They have not only won the title, they have blown teams out in the past two titles. And SDSU and Purdue were no slouches. Hell, Purdue was a top five team all season long. But UConn was never worried. They were never in doubt about their ability. They played with a calmness and ease that I crave as a fan. I would love to see Michigan men's basketball play as well and have as much fun as UConn seems to be having on the court. They were the best team all season long, they were the overall number one team going into the tourney and I think their closest game was the championship, which they won by 15 points.

UConn is the current cream of the crop in men's college basketball and they may be there for sometime. But this blog is not about the title game last night and their recent tournament run. No, this blog is about the state of men's college basketball, and how UConn is clearly the greatest men's program of all time. You can throw teams at me like Florida and UCLA and Michigan State and Kansas. None of those teams have the success in men's college hoops that UConn has. None of them have the staying power that UConn has. None of them have the titles that UConn has. None of them have the dominance in both men's and women's basketball that UConn has. UConn is it. They are the GOATS of college basketball. They are what every team should strive to be. They have the best coaching, the best players, the best program. They are the best of the best. No college team is as consistent. No college team has this type of staying power. No college team has this many rings and titles. No college team is doing what UConn is, and that reigned true so much the past two seasons. They do it better than anyone else. And I have watched videos of their practices recently. What makes them so great, they do the fundamental stuff during practice. I saw them doing dribbling drills. They were wrapping the ball around their waists. They were doing the Mikan Drill. They were doing things that we teach our 6th grade teams to do, and it all paid off with another title. That is seven now. I mean, they are going to have to make a bigger trophy case for all those trophies the men's and women's teams keep on winning.

UConn is a staple, and I think they are now, finally, going to get the recognition they deserve. They are better than any other college at basketball. They are the team you want to be. They are the team that happily wears the target on their backs. They have it all, and the rest of us just want to be them. My hat is off to UConn. They have an amazing basketball program. There was never a doubt they were going to win it all this whole season, and they will most likely be the favorites going into next season. Congrats UConn, and I have to assume we will see you here again next season. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty Watches "Curb Your Enthusiasm" Series Finale

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" ended the series last night in what I consider to be perfect and glorious fashion. I don't truly know what I was expecting, but this seemed fitting and almost the only way Larry David could close out this classic television comedy. David is a genius. I have sung his praises for so, so many years. The guy gets it when it comes to comedy. He makes fun of others, but more importantly, he makes fun of himself time and time again. That much was on display during the hour long series finale. I think that is what made this such a successful and hilarious show over its long run.

"Curb" started in 2000. The show went for 12 seasons, and it felt like HBO let him put out a new season whenever he was ready. That was the best way to do this show. They had to be hands off for this to work. I have to assume David made it that way as well so he could put out exactly what he wanted in each season. We got 120 episodes of his genius. We had through lines in every season. They brought back classic bits in last nights finale from the earliest seasons. David got incredibly famous people to be on, either as themselves or as totally new characters. He let his stars shine. JB Smoove became a household name. Jeff Garlin and Susie Essman will be remembered forever as their characters. Ted Danson's heightened version of himself was perfect. Cheryl Hines starred as his wife and then ex wife. He got everyone from "Seinfeld" to be on his show. He got Bruce Springsteen to appear. He gave young up and coming improv actors their first chance to be on tv. He made offensive jokes and dealt with the blow back. He made his portrayal of himself as one of the greatest comedic characters to ever be on screen. This was, and always will be for me, a perfect show. This is the greatest comedy to ever be on tv. No one will come close to touching its genius. "30 Rock" is the closest now, and I love that show, but it is not even close to the hilariousness that "Curb" gave us.

And the way they closed it all out last night was a true joy to watch. To take on David's finale of "Seinfeld", the one everyone besides my wife and I seem to despise, and just go with it and do an almost updated version, it was the absolute best move to make. My wife and I kept saying to one another while watching, "this is perfect". To see him in a courtroom, to see the witnesses from seasons past show up, to see him and Jeff get into another messed up situation caused by their own stupidity, it was so perfect. Seeing Jerry Seinfeld show up for him and David to do bits was like watching a reunion I didn't know I needed. And for the the two of them to kind of hash out the "Seinfeld" finale in the most meta way possible, I couldn't be happier with what I saw. I'm glad they didn't do some kind of character change for anyone on the show. They all ended up the same as when they first appeared on the show. They were still griping about menial things. They were still trying to figure out where to eat. Richard Lewis, RIP, was still cracking jokes to David, and he was doing the same to Lewis. It was just a great sendoff to a great, all timer of a show. I loved the series finale. So did my wife. As for what I've seen on the internet today, it got a pretty good ovation from everyone who has watched it.

I want to end this today by thanking everyone involved with the creation and the constant improvement on "Curb Your Enthusiasm". You will all have a special place in my heart. And the biggest thanks goes to Larry David. Your genius knows no bounds. You are the greatest comedy television writer this world has ever been able to witness. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and enjoy your retirement. Now, it is time for me to rewatch this series for the millionth time. 

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.

Ty Listens to "Ohio Players"

The Black Keys new album "Ohio Players" was released this morning. Let’s discuss.

I'm a big time fan of The Black Keys. I have been for over 20 years now. So, any time they put out a new record, I get pretty psyched. Today was no different. I've been pretty pumped about this album for a few months now. They released three songs prior to putting the record out, and I liked all three of them. I also read some early reviews, and they were very, very solid. I liked their past couple of albums, but it wasn't like the first time I listened to them. I used to block out hours to listen to their new albums. I would dedicate full days just to listen. But I got older and had kids and couldn't find the time to do that. It has kind of become a listen to the new music whenever I find some free time. Today, with my kids being in school and my wife working, I had ample time to listen to the record.

I have listened from start to finish twice now, and I have got to say, I am finding myself getting more and more into the album with each listen. This is good stuff. I was listening to it with my dad in the car on our way to coffee this morning and he asked why I seemed more into this new record as opposed to some of their other recent albums. I told him that this record is grimy like their earlier records. That is what I grew to love about this band from the start. The first time I heard them I was taken aback at how grimy and dingy they sounded, in the best possible way. The reverb and distortion is what instantly drew me to them. That is back on this record. But it isn't all grimy, they have their newfound refinement here as well. The Black Keys have grown and gotten better at what they do. So, when they meld their old style with the new style, I am going to be all in. I told my dad that the reason I am so into the record is the grimy refinement. That is my go to description of this new record.

The album starts off like an old school record, with a distorted, reverb heavy grungey blues song, but Auerbach has grown so much as a singer, and that makes it all the more better. The moment I put this song on this morning, I was instantly bobbing my head and vibing out in my car. The record only got better from there. There is so much on the album for me to like with my musical taste. They have grunge, blues, and rock. They also have hip hop, keyboards, and slower, love adjacent songs. It kind of runs the gamut for a band like The Black Keys and I'm here for it. Two separate songs feature hip hop artists, one of which is Juicy J. When I saw his name on the tracklist I was stoked. And boy did he deliver with his verse. The other rapper, Lil Noid, is new to me, but his track reminds me of a Blakroc song, a great Black Keys side project. I enjoy the love songs. It is nice to hear them slow it down a bit and sing some sweeter stuff. And their original sound, the thing that made me want to hear them, it is here tenfold and it is awesome.

There is something so perfect when it is Dan and Pat doing the heavy lifting. They are what makes this band work. I know they have added some band members when they tour, but when the push comes from those two it is near perfection. The guestlist is pretty solid outside of Juicy J and Lil Noid. Beck, Noel Gallagher and Dan the Automator are featured on the record as well. This is a nice return to form with their newfound refinement.

I really like this record. I recommend giving it a listen. It is fun and really, really good. 

Ty

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

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Reese's Peanut Butter Cups with Caramel Do Not Mix

Over here at SeedSing we like to come in hot with our views on certain things. It can get spicy at times. We can divide the internet. Today I have a fire hot take that will most certainly get people on the internet up in arms.

Recently I went to the store as part of my weekly errands. While at the store I like to get myself water and a nice little treat. On this particular day I went for the Reese's Peanut Butter cup with caramel. Let’s discuss.

I'm a Reese's fan, and I like to try their new creations. I've had the peanut butter cup with Cocoa Puffs and the one with potato chips. They are fine, but never as good as the original. Reese's has the best peanut butter on the planet, and whatever chocolate they use works so perfectly with their excellent peanut butter. But I still give the new creations a shot. I wasn't expecting much with the Reese's with caramel, but who knows. I love caramel and this seemed like a great pairing. But after eating it I was left kind of empty. It was good. It tasted just fine. But I felt like the caramel took away from what makes the original peanut butter cup so perfect. It was too much. It was too sweet. It was too goopy. It just didn't work. Maybe it was just not for me that particular day.

Well, I was at the store this morning after coffee with my dad and I decided to give it another chance. I made up multiple excuses in my head when all I really wanted was a sweet treat. So I got one big cup of the Reese's with caramel. I got in my car and proceeded to give it a go for a second chance. I was left feeling the exact same way as the first time. It just wasn't working for me again. I was pretty disappointed by this. The Reese's with Cocoa Puffs at least has a nice crunchy element to it even if I'm not that big of a fan. The Reese's with potato chips has crunch and salt added to the peanut butter and rich chocolate. Of all the Reese's creations, the peanut butter cup with chips is the best version they have come up with to date. So the fact that the Reese's with caramel does nothing for me disappoints me even more. I get that this is a total champagne problem, but here we are. I have a platform and I feel like griping about this snack today. It was the same issue I had the first time. The caramel doesn't add anything that I want in my peanut butter cup eating experience. It is too sweet. It is too sloppy. It adds an extra goop that is so unnecessary. And the caramel takes away from the excellent peanut butter and chocolate that the Reese's company has perfected. It doesn't work.

This is a misfire. In fact, Reese's doesn't need to do any of this nonsense. This is like when Oreo comes up with a bunch of different flavors. There is no use. They have the perfect formula. There is no need to mess with perfection. They don't have to make all these wild concoctions. They have a proven formula that pretty much everyone already adores. I'll stick with my original Reese's peanut butter cups. I don't need the additions. They don’t work for me. Skip the Reese's Cups with caramel. They don't work. They mess with a classic, and that is not needed. 

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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The Texans Won the Stefon Diggs Lottery

Stefon Diggs was traded to the Texans this morning for draft compensation. Let’s discuss.

This is a pretty big deal. This says a whole lot to me about both teams. On one hand, this move shows that the Bills need to rid themselves of a good amount of money. It feels like they overspent the past couple years in pursuit of a championship. They got close, but never to the Super Bowl. They had their shots, but they couldn't get over the hump. They were either victims of their own issues or they ran into the Chiefs. The Chiefs seem to have their number. Now the Bills have no real threats on the outside. I know a couple other younger players had better than expected seasons last season. But, can they keep that up is the biggest question facing them. I also think that having Diggs on the opposite side helped those younger players get open a bit easier. This is not the first move the Bills have made this offseason. Diggs is gone. They let their two starting safeties go. They have cut some other guys. They need to save money. They are doing that, but these moves may end up costing them some wins. Josh Allen is still there, and that is good. James Cook is a good, young, solid running back. But it kind of stops there on offense. And the defense, while still fearsome, is only getting older. And they have to deal with the Dolphins becoming an explosive offense. The Bills have some players they need to go out and get to become a division winner again. They will have to rely on unknowns or rookies, and that can be a tough go from time to time.

On the other hand, the Texans are loading up for a nice little run. It feels like they were not content to only win one playoff game this past season. DeMeco Ryans has proven how excellent of a coach he is, and now he wants to win it all. He has control over the defense. That is his area of expertise, and the Texans defense looks to be pretty damn solid for years to come. Trading up to take Will Anderson Jr last season was a genius move and it more than paid off for Ryans, Anderson Jr and the Texans. They also signed Danielle Hunter this offseason to add to the pass rush. The linebackers are good and the secondary is very, very solid. Now, with the addition of Diggs, this offense is electric. CJ Stroud was the best rookie QB in a long, long time. He was ready, he delivered, he put up stats and he was never scared of the moment. He exceeded everyone's expectations. They went out and got Joe Mixon as their new running back. I know RD was bummed to see the Bengals let him go. That is now benefitting the Texans, helping them to wildly upgrade their backfield. Then we have the emergence of Tank Dell, until he got hurt, Nico Collins and now, Stefon Diggs. Dell is young and fast and should be fully healthy for the start of the next season. Collins blasted onto the scene this season. I knew he had it in him when he was at Michigan. Now everyone is seeing how awesome of a wideout he can be. He is big, fast and has great hands. Add Diggs to the receiver room, now they have a very productive veteran. Diggs has done some awesome things in the NFL and I think a change of teams will greatly benefit him. He was clearly upset at the situation in Buffalo. Now he gets to go play for a team led by a young coach, with a young QB and in a warm climate. This should all excite him and fans of the Texans.

This is a homerun move by Houston and they are going to be a very scary offense. This is a team on the rise. This was a good, easy decision by them. 

Ty

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

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Zach Lowe Needs to Watch More than Two NBA Players

I'm a fan of Zach Lowe. I think he is one of, if not the smartest writer of the NBA that is doing that job right now. He does his research, watches a ton of games and is knowledgeable on not just the game, but the players too. His podcast is the only primarily basketball podcast I listen to. I do listen to "The Flagrant Ones" as well, but they do way more jokes than "The Lowe Post" does. Zach Lowe's podcast is for basketball junkies, NBA junkies, such as myself.

I have found myself getting annoyed lately when I listen to him talk. He is still as informative and knowledgeable as ever, but he is constantly pumping up two players that I am not a fan of, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. Now, before the internet weirdos come at me, I can acknowledge their ability, they are very good NBA offensive players and Jokic is a deserving champ and two time MVP. But, to hear Lowe talk about them lately, it is almost as if they never make mistakes and they are the only two NBA players worth mentioning and/or praising.

It has gotten so bad for me that I have found myself timing how long it takes before he mentions one or both players in any new episode. I watch some people on Instagram do the same thing, as a joke. But I want to see how long he can hold himself before he simply must bring them up. Even on episodes where he is not necessarily talking about the Mavericks or Nuggets, Lowe will find a way to shoehorn the two of them into a conversation. The longest it has taken before he has brought up one of the two guys in a recent episode was 23 minutes. This was an episode that was well over 90 minutes long. He only lasted less than a third of the run time before he had to let everyone listening know that he is a fan of these guys.

I get it. You like the way they play the game. You cannot find any criticism to give them. You want nothing but the best for them. You married a Croatian so you must feel some weird obligation to like European NBA players. These are your two favorite teams, and clearly your two favorite players. But, you are a journalist and analyst as well. That is supposed to be a non biased job. From what I was told at a young age when I was thinking journalism might be a good route for me, I wouldn’t have lasted too long because of my love for Michigan football. My folks let it be known that, if I were to pursue a career in journalism, that love could stay, but never be talked about openly amongst readers of whatever publication I may have ended up writing for, and that was a nonstarter for me. But the landscape has changed with major journalism it seems. You can be a fan and openly talk about that fandom. You can be a fanboy, a fanatic, a super fan and most people will just look the other way. Zach Lowe has taken this angle and run miles and miles and miles with it. I was listening to his most recent episode and David Thorpe brought up Shai Gilgeous Alexander as an MVP candidate, the top candidate in his eyes. This was after Lowe went on a rant about "Luka's last season push for MVP". Also, I despise that he calls this dude by his first name only. I can guarantee that Luka Doncic doesn't ever think twice about you Zach. So, after he went on his rant, Thorpe said why he thinks SGA is the frontrunner for MVP, Lowe's silence spoke volumes. Someone wasn't giving one of his guys the full on credit he thought he deserved. So instead of going into a nice debate, because Thorpe threw stats at Lowe, one of his favorite things to bring up when talking about Doncic or Jokic, he just sat there quietly with nothing to say. That stuck with me.

And lately, when speaking of Jokic, he will constantly say how he is the "greatest basketball player in the world" in one breath, then begrudge Giannis Antentekoumpo. I guess Zach Lowe may need to be reminded of some more stats. They both have two MVP's. They both have the same amount of titles, one. And Giannis is much, much, much better defender than Nikola could ever dream of being in his entire career. Oh, and the Greek Freak is a much more fun player to watch play the game for me. And why doesn't Lowe like the Harden/Doncic comparison I wonder. They are pretty much the same player. They are both volume shooters. They both get assists. They both stop the ball. They both need the ball to be effective. I don't get why he can't just accept the fact that they are basically the same player. Oh, and one more thing on Luka Doncic. Lowe is so quick to talk about Doncic's greatness in the playoffs. And again, he is a very, very good playoff basketball player. But at the same time he will go in hard on the two guys picked before him in the draft, Deandre Ayton and Trae Young. Make no mistake, Luka Doncic is a more skilled player than both of those guys, but he has gone just as far as Trae Young has in the playoffs. They have both been as far as the conference finals. As for Ayton, well, he has been to the NBA Finals, and played pretty well. So, I guess that means Ayton's playoff success is technically better, right? 

The way Lowe speaks of these two guys is almost erotic and kind of gross. He will never begrudge them, but he is quick to point out flaws of other superstars. He will give them all the glory for team success, but blame other players for holding teams back. He has become what I feared he might be, and that is a knock off Bill Simmons, who is one of the most loathsome journalists on the planet. I hope he fixes this fascination with these two guys, but it doesn't seem likely. I wonder how they would react if they knew about his love for them. I'd have to guess they don't know and most likely don't care. But I would be creeped the hell out if someone I had little to no interaction with talked about me the way Lowe talks about these two guys. It feels odd. 

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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DJ Burns is the Star of March Madness

The Final Four in the men's tournament is all set. Let’s discuss.

First off let's be honest, UConn looks damn near unbeatable. Illinois put a scare in them for a half, but then UConn decided to stop playing with their food and proceeded to put Illinois away with a 30-0 run. Illinois didn't score a point in 50 minutes of real time. Alabama and UNC played a pretty solid game, but it seemed like Bama was destined to make their first Final Four ever. They are playing with a little extra oomph. Purdue and Tennessee played a decent game. Dalton Knetch and Zach Edey put on a fun back and forth. It was all about those two and they made it a good game down to the wire. But, in all reality, the Duke-NC State game was my favorite game to watch all weekend, and that is all due to DJ Burns.

This kid is my new favorite college hooper. First off, when Duke gets beat a good amount of the rest of the rooting country wins. I loathe Duke. I always have. I know a bunch of other people feel the same way. My son is a Duke fan, so I felt bad for him. But the college basketball fan in me was absolutely thrilled to see them get beat by a team they should have had no problem with last night. A big thorn in their side was Burns. He was dominant last night. He had 29 points and looked great doing it. He was spinning and throwing in nice floating hook shots. He was backing down less thick defenders and scoring with ease. When Duke tried to go at him on offense, he stood his ground, didn't foul and got enough stops. Make no mistake, Burns is a solid basketball player. His footwork is impeccable. He has an incredibly soft touch around the rim. He knows what works best for him and his team and he showed that to the entire country last night.

What makes Burns my new favorite player, his size. He is thick. He is a big dude. He appears to like his sweets. And this is why I love watching this kid play. I too am a thick athlete. I played football, basketball and baseball growing up. And when I was on a basketball court, from 8th grade until a few years back, I was compared to guys like Charles Barkley and Robert Traylor. As I became a better passer I heard Boris Diaw's name in reference to mine more and more. I heard all the trash talk nicknames too. I was called jelly roll. I heard, and said people were correct in their thinking, about how many cinnamon rolls I could eat. People brought up food a lot to me because I was heavier. I'm sure DJ Burns has heard all of this, and so much more. And he has taken it in stride. He plays the game with passion and love. He is almost always smiling while he is on the floor. He is having a good time. I saw some Duke fans trash talking him during the game yesterday, and he responded by letting them know that their season was over. I love that. He didn't stoop to their level, he just let them know a fact. I love this about him. He doesn't have to degrade other people who may be degrading him for his weight. He loves himself, he is happy with the body he has and he has become a star now. But I think only part of it is due to his weight. He happens to be an incredibly skilled basketball player too. And he has shown that during NC State's improbable run to the Final Four. He has been the best player on the floor for them this whole time. And his demeanor and play have been a total blast to see. I have told my son to watch him too, because his footwork is better than most.

DJ Burns has taken hold of the moment and he is thriving. I want to see it continue all the way to a title. Purdue stands in the way, as does UConn and/or Alabama. But if anyone can do it during this specific tournament, DJ Burns is the best man for the job. I know who I am rooting for the rest of the way. Go Wolfpack and Go DJ Burns. 

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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