Russell Westbrook Should Have Waited for a Better Team

Yesterday I wrote a whole thing about why I thought Russell Westbrook deserves to play where he wants next season, and I even gave a list of teams that I thought fit his style of play. Well, he got traded, but it was to none of the teams I picked, or to any team that most thought was even a contender. I was at my rec league basketball game when I got the news that Russ was headed to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul, 2 first round picks and 2 pick swaps.

This is insane. I thought it was a joke. I did not think it was true. I could not believe that the Thunder added 2 more first round picks, and by all accounts, they are going to offload Chris Paul as soon as they can, probably for more picks, or tradable assets. The Thunder, once again, got a great deal for a super star. And yes, Russ is a bona fide super star.

Before I get into the nuts and bolts of what I dislike about this trade, I want to touch on CP3. Man has he fallen off a cliff this past season, and offseason. He was once a darling of the league. He was the diminutive point guard that could run an offense, shoot and play great defense. He was the building block for the "Lob City" Clippers. He was the man while in New Orleans. He was even considered a great get when he signed with the Rockets 2 years ago. Now he is an added on trade, who is soon to be offloaded for picks. Age always wins, and we are currently seeing a Hall of Fame player age, and age badly, right before our eyes. He may end up on a solid team, but at what capacity? Is he a starter anymore? Is he a legit defender anymore? Will he really help a contender in the modern NBA? I'd say no, no and no. He would be best fitted playing in Miami alongside Jimmy Butler, or just retiring and get into coaching. How the mighty have fallen.

Now, why I dislike this trade so very much for everyone involved. I understand that Russ and Harden both wanted this. I know they are still good friends. I know that Westbrook is a younger and much more explosive version of Chris Paul. But, this back court is going to be rough to watch. Westbrook has been the guy in OKC ever since KD left. Even when they acquired Paul George, he deferred to Russ. In Houston, that is James Harden's team. That much was made wildly clear after they offloaded CP3 last night. Also, both guys need the ball in their hands to be most effective, and Harden, as he has done since he has been in Houston, likes to pound the ball for 20 seconds and shoot a three or try to draw a foul. How will that work with Russ? It won't. Russ, as much as I adore him, is not a good outside shooter, and with Harden pounding out the clock, he won't have time to get t the rim like he can if he is running the offense. Also, he and Harden are going to make guys like PJ Tucker and Eric Gordon just sit there and wait to try and get a rebound, or shoot a three. That is definitely not Tucker's game, and while Gordon is a solid three point shooter, just asking him to sit and wait would bother any player. Clint Capela should have fun with these guys, but now he is simply a pick and roll player on offense. Nothing more, nothing less. All they will want him to do is come up and screen for either Russ or Harden, and roll if he has it, or get ready to crash the glass. That may be what he is best at doing, but this will totally stunt his growth as a player.

Then there is Mike D'Antoni's offense, of which he has tailored to a player of Harden's skill. Now he is going to have to find a way to get Westbrook into the flow of the game. That will be asking a lot of a guy that has averaged a triple double the last three seasons. Also, they will have to get him to take a step back if they want to be as good as they can be.

On defense, the Rockets backcourt is going to be one of the worst in the NBA. We all know Harden's problems on defense. It has been well documented. Well, Russ isn't much better. Sure, he will grab a steal here or there, and get a few chase down blocks a season. But, more times than not, he takes plays off and relies on the help. Teams with a good to great back court could match them evenly. For all that is wrong with his game now, at least CP3 was a threat on defense. Russ, who is a much, much, much better player than CP3, has never played defense like him.

Finally, we have Daryl Morey. The star chaser. The guy that wants big names no matter how mismatched they are with his current roster. He tried this with Carmelo last year. That was a disaster. He tried this with CP3, and while they had a shot to beat Golden State, they didn't, twice, and haven't sniffed the Finals under his direction. And now he is bringing in Russ.

I dislike this pairing so very much. This is the cliché of "there is only one basketball" come to life. No matter how much these 2 like each other off the court, they are going to have to learn to share the ball if they want to be a contender. Neither has shown they can do that since they took over their respective teams. The Rockets will still be a good playoff team. But, I am not as on board as some other people are with Russ and Harden teaming up. I think it is going to be a super clash, and it will not end well for someone, or possibly both guys and the coaching staff. We will see. At least this has made this offseason even more crazy. I'm down for that anytime. But, I am not a fan of this trade. Not one bit.

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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Now We are Waiting on Russell Westbrook's New Team

On Monday I talked about Kawhi's decision, and my opinion of the current state of the NBA. I talked a bit about the Clippers not only getting Kawhi, but also getting Paul George. I mentioned that I had heard rumors that the Thunder were now exploring trades for Russell Westbrook. Today I want to talk about my feelings on that, and which team, or teams, I think would be a good fit for him.

First off, my thoughts on the idea of trading Russ away from OKC. I think the time has come for both parties to move on. Russ has done all he can do for that team and that city. He ran the show when it was him, KD and Harden. When Harden left, he changed his game to play with KD. Some people don't agree with this, they are wrong. KD is an iso guy, and the fact that Russ was so important to watch while on defense, he made it easier for KD to get his. Then KD left, and all Russ did was lead a terrible cast of players, with a new coach, to the playoffs, won the MVP and averaged a triple double. Again, idiots will say he was a stat hunter and only cared about himself. I say, he absolutely had to do this in order for that particular Thunder team to win.

Then they acquired Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. That did not work out, but they still made the playoffs, and Russ and PG seemed to like one another. They liked one another so much, Russ convinced PG to sign a deal with OKC that offseason. Last season, one of Russ' worst, as far as stats go, the Thunder made the playoffs again, Russ averaged a triple double for the third straight year, and helped PG become an MVP candidate, before he got hurt. But, they lost in the first round again, and it was all blamed on Westbrook.

Then the Kawhi stuff happened. I mean, what else, sans winning a title, can Russ do for the Thunder? He has really given them his all, has played through injury, willed this team back to the playoffs constantly, kept them afloat when KD left and is a blast to watch play. So, I think, if he wants one final chance to be on a competitive team, he has earned that right.

This leads me to which teams I think would be good fits for him. One, I would love, LOVE, to see him go to Phoenix. Sure, they aren't a title contender, but to replace Ricky Rubio with Russ, and put him next to Devin Booker, and an athletic big like Deandre Ayton, that would push them to a possible playoff team, even in the West. He would sell tickets there as well. Also, Phoenix could take on the last 2 years of his contract because they have so much young talent that is clogging spots for other players. They could make this deal happen, and I wish they would.

I like the fit with Chicago. He could go there, be a stop gap for Coby White, who I think is going to be really good, and help a team with Zach Lavine, Lauri Markenan and Wendell Carter definitely get into the playoffs in the East. The Bulls also have guys with easy contracts to trade, and they have picks.

Detroit was odd for me at first, but I think sending him there for Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard, plus picks, would make the Pistons fun. Russ and Blake Griffin, along with Andre Drummond could be a devastating pick and roll combo. And put him next to Derrick Rose, while not a great shooting back court, it would be explosive. I also think he would love to play for Dwayne Casey.

Then, my final team, the Miami Heat. I know the Thunder already have some of their picks, and trading Russ there would possibly take the picks out of the lottery, but they could get a good return of players, that they can turn into picks, and teaming Russ with Jimmy Butler could be a match made in heaven. Those 2 are cut from the same cloth, they will rip your will out of you, they would look cool as hell in those Miami vice jerseys, and Erik Spolestra has already shown he can coach mega stars to titles. Jimmy Butler and Russ may not be the duo you need to win a title, but in the East, who knows. I would love to see them playing against the Celtics or 76ers or Bucks. They would throw the hell down. This is what I hope, and want, to happen for Russ. I think it is almost too perfect.

Anyway, whatever what happens to Russ, I hope he gets a chance to compete, and that people stop blaming him for everything that has happened in OKC. It is not his fault. He has stayed tried and true to that team, and he can now do what he wants. He has earned that. I am fully team Russ.

Ty

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

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Ty Listens More Closely To "Let's Rock"

So, last Friday I wrote an instant reaction to the new Black Keys album, "Lets Rock". On first listen, I enjoyed it, and said I needed more time before I could get a really solid feel for the album. Well, I have listened to the entire record over a dozen times now, and I have some thoughts.

First off, a lot of people, a lot of writers and music people love the record. Pitchfork gave it a phenomenal review. Rolling Stone loved it. Paste was on board. Someone said that the record is "garage rock at its finest". I agree with all of these people, except, I do not think it is as groundbreaking, or as exceptional as others. Again, I love love love the album. I cannot state enough. I wouldn't have listened to it as many times as I have, and continue to go back to it, if I didn't enjoy the record. But, I think an album like "Turn Blue" is a better overall record. "Lets Rock", for me, doesn't even sniff "Thickfreakness", which I think is the greatest garage rock record. I like "Rubber Soul" and "Attack and Release" more. For me "Lets Rock" is right up there with "El Camino" or "The Big Come Up". Again, love both of those records, but they wouldn't be the first ones I pick to listen to. I do think "Lets Rock" is better than "Brothers" and "Magic Potion" though.

"Lets Rock" is beautiful in its simplicity. That is what I like most about this album. The songs are no more than 3 to 3 and a half minutes, they are straight forward rock, Auerbach uses his signature distortion, Carney is hammering away at his awkward drum kit, and the record flows. It is an easy and fun listen. I have learned all the words to all the songs already. I love the opening track "Shine A Little Light". It has the classic Black Keys feel, but the instruments give it a newer, cleaner sound that I find nice. I usually prefer the dirty and distorted Black Keys, but "Shine A Little Light" grabs me. I absolutely love "Walk Across the Water". I love how it starts off like it is going to be a heavy rock song, and then totally changes into a love song when Auerbach starts the lyrics. I've grown to adore when the Black Keys do love, or ballad, type songs. They make it sound dingy, but then you listen to the words, and it totally blows me away. It is one of their prettiest songs ever. I can't wait to hear it live in September. "Get Yourself Together" is a classic Black Keys song. It's distorted, it is fast, it is grimy and it rules. "Eagle Birds" is like that too. I don't know much about cars, but when Auerbach starts to talk about twin engines and whatnot, I'm on board. I like the guitar riff in the song too. I like "Breaking Down" because it has that sitar sounding guitar flange to it. It is a nice flowing song too. "Under the Gun" is as true a rock and roll song as you can get in 2019. It is heavy and well played by the band. I like "Go" a bunch too. The video for that song rules. And the closer "Fire Walk With Me" is a perfect way to end this particular record. Its jumpy, quick and precise. See, I named the good majority of the record, and what I like about it.

My only problem is, there are a few songs that just seem like filler. I'm not nuts about "Lo/HI", but that could be because I have heard it a million times already. It was the song chosen for March Madness. "Sit Around and Miss You" is too country for me. "Tell Me Lies" is fine, but I don't like that it follows such a great song, and a sweet song, like "Walk Across the Water". And "Every Little Thing" is fine, but forgettable. I love this record. If I had to rate it out of ten, now that I have listened to it more than enough to give my full opinion on it, I'd give it a 7.5. It is good, I will love it when I hear the songs live and The Black Keys can really do no wrong in my opinion. I'm just a little more tepid than other music writers.

I need to say this one more time, "Lets Rock" is dynamite. Buy it, stream it, do whatever you have to do to hear it because The Black Keys are real writers and musicians, and that is rare nowadays. They rule.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He was going to give “Let’s Rock” 43 thumbs up, but he did not want to insult his favorite band.

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Ty Watches "Yesterday"

Yesterday was finally able to go out and see one of my most anticipated movies of 2019, "Yesterday". I talked about it on the pod, I wrote about the trailer, I love Danny Boyle as a director, I am a big time Beatles fan, as I said on the pod, I think they are the greatest band ever, and I really, really wanted to take my dad to see it. I bought tickets for us, and we went, and this movie more than lived up to my personal expectations.

I saw the tepid response from critics, and that is exactly why I don't let critics dictate which movies I go see. I knew that I wanted to see this movie, and I was pretty sure that I would find myself enjoying it. I was right. "Yesterday" is one of the better "feel good" movies I have watched. After watching it I was happy, in a good mood and I wanted to listen to nothing but the Beatles, and the soundtrack, to the movie.

For starters, Himesh Patel, who was the main character Jack, was outstanding. I have never seen him in anything before this, but he absolutely blew me away. For him to show the angst, guilt, confusion and illusion of fame the way he did was tremendous. I mean, imagine waking up in a world, one in which you are a struggling musician, and finding out that no one but you knows who The Beatles are. How would you deal with that scenario? I know that I for one would have trouble remembering all the lyrics. But, to see Patel decide to claim them as his own, then become famous overnight, then have to deal with everything that comes with fame, it was a great job on his part.

Also, the thing the critics seemed to have the most problems with, I enjoyed the love story. Sure, I will always take more Beatles songs over pretty much anything, but this is a big Hollywood movie, and love stories are the name of the game. And Patel's love interest, Ellie, was very well represented by Lily James. James has been in a good amount of some of my favorite recent movies, most notably "Baby Driver", and she is nailing it. In "Yesterday" she is Jack's manager, driver and producer, but she is also in love with him, and has been since they were kids. She is vulnerable and wants him to love her back, and she does such a good job. Joel Fry, as Rocky, was hilarious and fun the whole time. He was the true comic relief. Jack's parents were great and believable. Ed Sheerhan, as kind of a stylized, arrogant version of himself, was great. Kate McKinnon was evil and villainous and hilarious. The cast was just tremendous.

What I think I loved most about this movie was how they showed the current generation reacting to hearing Beatles music for the first time. When Jack gets released from the hospital and he plays "Yesterday" on an acoustic guitar, his friends are blown away. They have never heard anything like it before. They are crying at how beautiful it is. When Ellie hears Jack play songs like "I Saw Her Standing There", or "All You Need is Love" or "And I Love Her", you can she her love for Jack grow and grow, and she wants him so badly to love her like the lyrics in the songs do. When Sheerhan, in a great scene, challenges Jack to a "song off", and Jack comes back and plays "The Long and Winding Road", he is so moved he calls Jack Mozart, and himself Salieri. It is remarkable. When McKinnon gets a hold of him, she decides that, since she claims he doesn't have the right "image" yet, that they are going to release his genius to the world one song at a time until they get his look right. To see his likes and retweets and the amount of followers go up and up and up, it is truly how we consume music nowadays. When he decides, the day before his album is to be released, to play a concert on the top of a hotel, his version of "Help" is not only a great, sped up version of the song, it holds so much more meaning because of how much he is struggling with what he is doing. When, in a great one scene moment, Lamorne Morris, who plays the head of A and R at the music company, goes on his spiel about getting the buzz out on social media, and finding the right album title and getting Jack's look just right, and the pictures that surround him and all the yes men and women around the table, it is too perfect.

"Yesterday" is a wonder of a movie. I loved every single second of what I watched. I cannot wait to see it 4, 5, 6 more times. I will buy it when it comes out on Blu Ray. I have already been telling my wife how great it is, and how much I can't wait to show it to her. This movie is the perfect movie for Beatles fans. But, I also think it is a great movie for anyone that loves music, and for people my age, and also my father's age. To all the parents that played Beatles music for their now grown up kids, go out and see this movie together. I think seeing it with my dad made it that much more enjoyable. I cannot recommend this movie enough. Please go see it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is unaware that adding Beatles music to a movie will automatically make it good. Check out “Across the Universe” to see how adding the Beatles can not save the most terrible of films.

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Done Waiting on Kawhi

So, last Friday I wrote about how I, like pretty much everyone else, was awaiting Kawhi's free agency decision. Well, he made it at 4 am the next morning, and he made it loudly. I was absolutely stunned, not by the fact that he joined the Clippers, but that Paul George was a part of this all along, and that Kawhi pretty much knew where he wanted to go from the start.

This is a monumental move by an enormous free agent, and the NBA finally, mercifully, has parity again. There is a big number of teams I could see competing for the title in this upcoming season now. The Clippers are the prohibitive favorites in mine, and pretty much everyone else's eyes. They have 2 of the best 2 way players in the game, Patrick Beverly is the perfect point guard for this team, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell make for one hell of a duo coming off the bench and Mo Harkless was a solid trade pickup. They did mortgage their future, but they got Kawhi and Paul George. That is a move I would make 10 out of 10 times. The other LA team was left to scramble, much to my delight. I have loved hearing columnists say that "they are making out okay" with the signings of Boogie Cousins and Avery Bradley and Danny Green. Oh, they also brought back Rajon Rondo and JaVale McGee. Hilarious. They do have LeBron and AD though, and that is enough for me the make them a playoff team, but they are now the second team in LA. The Clippers have the better, more well rounded and younger dynamic duo. They also have a far superior head coach.

Also, these journalists trying to say the Lakers did fine, stop. They waited for Kawhi and he shunned them. They blew it, just like the Knicks did with KD. I love that Kawhi chose the Clippers because this means Rich Paul doesn't have as much pull as he thinks he does, and it proves how stupid Rob Pelinka is.

The Thunder are going to be an absolute mess next year, and for awhile. I hope for his sake they trade Russ. He deserves to go somewhere that wants him, and won't trade away super star players all the time. I would love to see him go to Miami, but time will tell. I will say, the Thunder made out like bandits in the trade. They got SEVEN future draft picks, 5 first rounders and Shai Gilgeous Alexander and Danilo Gallinari. Gilgeous Alexander is a guy they can rebuild around, and Gallinari is a great trade asset. But, they are going to be bad for awhile, especially if they trade Russ.

Back to the other contenders besides the Lakers and Clippers. In the West, we cannot just push aside teams like the Trailblazers, Nuggets, Rockets and Warriors. The Trailblazers did some weird stuff this offseason, but they still have Dame and CJ McCollum, and Jusuf Nurkic should be back at some point this year. The Nuggets have everyone back from a team that earned the 2 seed last season. The Rockets, even though they are totally dysfunctional, are still one of the better small ball teams in the league, and they can shoot the lights out. The Warriors have Steph, managed to somehow trade for D'Angelo Russell, get Klay back at some point, still have Draymond and they resigned Kevon Looney. While they won't be as dominant, they are still a playoff team. I can't forget the Jazz. Man did they did so much better this offseason. They are going to be real, real good. The Kings are up and coming too. New Orleans is going to be my favorite League Pass team. The West is going to be so much fun to watch this year.

The East is, in my opinion, Philly's to lose. They are so big, will eat teams up in defense and on the boards and will score just enough to win 55 or so games. They need to stay healthy, but if they do, they are legit. Milwaukee has the reigning MVP, they brought almost everyone back and they were the one seed last year. Giannis will only get better, and the shooting around him is key. The loss of Malcolm Brogdon will hurt more than they think, but they will still be good to great. Miami, especially if they acquire Westbrook, will be solid. They already have Jimmy Butler too. And they play hard and rough and solid defense. They want to take your will away, and I think they have the guys to do it. Boston should be thrilled that they don't have to deal with Kyrie anymore, and Kemba is a good replacement. They also have solid young guys like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. But, Brad Stevens loyalty to Gordon Hayward is a concern, and losing Al Horford is going to sting. The Pacers got some solid pickups in Brogdon and Jeremy Lamb, and when Victor Oladipo gets back, they will be a top 4 seed. The Nets will be a playoff team again this year with the addition of Kyrie. But, next year, even if he is only 70 to 80 percent of his former self, the Nets will be the Clippers biggest threat out East.

I cannot wait to watch the regular season again. This time it will actually count. A game in the middle of the year that features Orlando and Milwaukee, or the Clippers and Nuggets will be fun, and important. This offseason has been wild, and when Kawhi made his choice it was epic. It makes the NBA so much more fun. I can't 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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Waiting on Kawhi

As we approach the weekend we still have no decision from Kawhi Leonard as to where he will be playing basketball next year.

It is starting to get a bit frustrating for me. I'm obsessed with basketball, especially the NBA, and this free agency period has been absolutely wild, with Kawhi being the lone exception. Pretty much every other big name free agent has signed, or will officially sign tomorrow. KD and Kyrie are on the Nets. Jimmy Butler is going to Miami. Al Horford is going to Philly. Philly re upped Tobias Harris. Kemba Walker is a Celtic. Utah got Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdonavic. Indiana signed Jeremy Lamb and traded for Malcolm Brogdon. I mean, I'm sure I'm missing someone, but for the most part, the big names, and small names, are off the market. Danny Green and Boogie are still out there, but Kawhi is the biggest of the free agents, and he is taking his sweet time. I mean, I guess I shouldn't be as annoyed as I am. I mean, this is his choice, his decision, and he can do whatever in the hell he wants. He can go anywhere he chooses.

In my lifetime every other big time free agent made their choice fairly quick. LeBron signed with Miami, Cleveland the second time and with the Lakers last year before the Fourth. KD announced on the Fourth that he was leaving OKC for Golden State. When Dwayne Wade left Miami for Chicago, it was done before free agency started. Boogie signed with the Warriors before the Fourth last year. The big guys usually do not take this long to make up their minds.

It actually makes me wonder why he is taking so long. Is it because he is so much different than your average star athlete today? Does he not care about the limelight enough that he really wants to think this thing out? Has he really not made up his mind yet? Has he already made up his mind, and he is just toying with the NBA? Has Adam Silver made a call telling him he really needs to consider the Lakers to make them relevant again? Does Uncle Dennis want him to play somewhere he doesn't want to play next year? Is he going to sign with a surprise team?

I do think all of these are legitimate questions, and with a guy like Kawhi, I don't know that they will ever be truly answered. I think he is taking so long because he is a different dude. I like to believe that he is truly split between the Lakers and Raptors. Hell, I would even go as far to say that the Clippers still have an outside shot. I think he is legit writing a pros and cons list for each team, and pouring over it every night. I think he likes the idea of the Clippers because they are essentially the West's version of the Raptors. Also, it is his home and if he could bring a first title there, like he did for the Raptors, think of the legacy. But, the Clippers, to some, not me because they are currently more relevant, are the second LA team, behind the Lakers.

I think he is considering the Lakers because, again, it is home. But also, it is history and legacy and the ability to play with LeBron and AD. He doesn't seem like the "super team" type guy, but who in the hell knows with him. Maybe he has always wanted to play with LeBron, and AD is just icing on the cake. But, if he does go there, he is third in line behind LeBron and AD. Everyone will talk about him third. Also, it would seem so out of character. I've looked at him as the dynasty killer. The guy that avoids the "super team". He is the guy that wants to beat the best, not join them. And he has done that twice.

And then there is Toronto. Many said he didn't want to play there, that he wouldn't even show up after being traded there. Well, not only did he show up, he won them a title. He hit the crucial buzzer beater against the 76ers. He locked down Giannis in the East Finals. And he put that team on his back and dethroned the Warriors. Pretty much everyone returns from that team, they get OG Anounoby back, Masai Ujiri is staying and he is "the man" on that team. Also, a star player from a title team has never left the year after winning it all. Kawhi could, and would, be the one to change that, but I don't understand why he would. He has it made there, the team is good and he makes them the favorite. But, Toronto is not home, and he already won them a title. He may be looking for the next challenge for him in his career. I simply don't know.

I fear he is going to sign with the Lakers, but I hope he does a one and one deal with the Raptors, and tries to win back to back titles. If he stays in Toronto, they are the favorites. If he goes to the Clippers, they will be one of the favorites. And if he chooses the Lakers, they will be the Vegas favorite, but they will have to scrounge up the rest of that lineup. I'll be anxiously awaiting his decision, but I'm done checking #NBAtwitter and Bleacher Report obsessively. Kawhi is taking his time, so I am not going to wait with bated breath. He could choose today, or it could be another week. We shall see, and 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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Where are the Great 4th of July Television Episodes?

Happy 4th of July everyone.

That is actually what leads me into what I want to touch on very, very briefly today. The 4th of July is a pretty big holiday. Or, at least, I imagine it is for most. For me as a kid the Fourth meant that I got to eat Dairy Queen and watch fireworks on the hood of my folks car. Pretty simple, yet very fun as a kid. As I got older, the fourth wasn't too important. Then I met my wife, and her family loves the Fourth. They have a big cookout, a barbeque and we shoot off fireworks. It has been that way for 13 plus years now.

I recently noticed that most of the TV shows I watch don't do an episode focused on the Fourth. I know that "Saved By the Bell" had one episode where they played games while working at the beach one summer, and it ended with fireworks, thus leading us to believe it was July 4th. And RD pointed out to me that the episode of "The Simpsons" where they go to Flanders beach house takes place on the Fourth. So, there are 2 examples of shows I do watch that may have a Fourth themed episode.

When thinking about this topic, I searched my brain for other shows I watch that do good holiday themed episodes, and none really came to mind. "The Office", the American version, even when it was bad, they did a good Christmas/Hanukkah themed episode. They also did solid Halloween episodes. But, no real Fourth of July ones. "30 Rock" crushes their Christmas episodes. I think they make some of the best in fact. But, not only do I not recall seeing a Fourth ep, I don't know that I have seen a Halloween or Thanksgiving one. "Parks and Rec", who you'd assume would have a great Fourth of July episode, or episodes, never touches on the holiday. They do excellent Halloween ones. The one with Greg Pitkitis, or when Gerry has a "fart attack", those are classics. But not even when Anne moves to Michigan and Leslie throws a mega party with all the holidays crammed into one, do we see a Fourth of July themed area. It just strikes me as weird is all.

I'm sure there are some shows out there that do celebrate this holiday, I just haven't seen them, or they were forgettable. It is strange is all I am trying to say. The Fourth of July seems to be a major holiday, and the shows I watch that cover major holidays, have never really dipped their toes into the Fourth. Please let me know if I am wrong, or just missed something because I'd like to see how an "Office" or "Parks and Rec" handles the day.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Make your 4th of July resolution to be the person on your block who grills the best hotdog. We have a guide for that.

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Season Three of "Baskets" Lets Martha Take Center Stage

I feel like I am one of a small bunch of people that watch the highly underrated show "Baskets". In fact, I wrote about how incredible Louis Anderson is as Zach Galifanikis' mom on the show. You read that right. The show just had its third season premiere about 3 weeks ago. I was excited for this season because last season ended on a big cliff hanger, and I wanted to see where they took every character's story from there. I was also pumped because a show like this was getting another opportunity to grow. I feel like FX is one of the few networks that will let a show grow. They will give it time to really suss out stories and characters.

This season, so far, has been doing just that, and today, I want to focus on another actor on the show that I think is doing a wonderful job. In previous seasons, Martha, played by Martha Kelly, has kind of been Chip's, one of the twins Galifinakis plays, sidekick. She is his ride everywhere. She will drop whatever she is doing to help him, and his family out. She has a full time job at Costco, in their main department. She helps take care of her mom. She is a main character on the show, and this season they are really letting her show some growth and change. In the first 2 seasons Martha was kind of a pushover. As I said, she would kind of stop whatever she was doing to help out the Basket family. At the start of this season we come to find out that she is seeing a self help coach, and this coach seems to be really teaching her how to be strong and forthright and honest. She is letting Chip know that she cannot boss him around. She is doing more things for herself. She is definitely standing up for herself. It is great.

In the most recent episode there is a self help retreat the she and Chip were invited to, and this episode has let Kelly do some of her best work. Martha is very monotone, and usually upbeat no matter what the circumstance. She pretty much always sees the bright side. Well, in the second episode, she is the pessimist when it comes to Chip looking for a new home. She continually lets him know that he can't afford the places he really wants, and even pulls him, physically, out of one of the condos he is considering. Well, in the next episode, we see Chip has bought the condo. I then remember that Martha brought him to one of the seminars, and the teacher took an immediate liking to him, and encouraged him to ask his mom, Anderson, for a loan. He got it, and the class loved it. Well, everyone except Martha. Now, in the last episode, we see Chip ask her to borrow her car, and even though he takes it, this is the first time we really see her fight him on it. She really needs her car, but Ship is selfish. Then, when she sees that they are both at this seminar, she gets pissed. She even tells him that the self help thing is her thing, and he is infringing on her time. She tells the teacher as much. When the teacher tells her that she is going to take Chip on a walk, you can see Martha get even more angry. Then, when they are preparing dinner later, after Martha has had one too many drinks, the real truth comes out. Chip claims to be a vegan, which Martha knows is untrue, and she lets him know it. She tells him, in only the way that an actor like Kelly can, and it is awesome. She calls him on his bullshit, but it is very monotone, and if I didn't know her like I do, I'd think she was being sincere. She was not. She is drunk and mad. So mad that she even calls Peter Cetera, who is at this retreat, that he is a "pussy", "because the potatoes aren't that hot". It is a real great performance from an actor that really deserved her chance to shine on this show. She totally knocks it out of the park, and my love for her character only grew after seeing this. It shows that she has a lot more inside of her than just being Chip's chauffeur, and the Basket family helper.

"Baskets" is a great show with a really solid cast. Louie Anderson was a surprise, Galifinakis is always good in what he does, and now Martha Kelly is fast becoming one of my favorite comic actors. She is excellent on this show. I highly recommend people check this show out so you can see great performances like Kelly's on a weekly basis. What a gem.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He used to chauffeur the head editor around. They have many incredible stories about it on one of our first podcasts.

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Better Late than Never on the Incredible "Us"

My wife and I finally had the chance to sit down at watch the movie "Us" this past weekend. Ever since we saw "Get Out", we wanted to see what Jordan Peele would do next. What he did with "Get Out", given his comedy background, was outstanding and unexpected for me. I know it shouldn't have been, given his love for horror movies, but I was still very pleasantly surprised by how awesome "Get Out" was.

So, I waited, as did my wife, with anticipation to his follow up. When I first saw the poster for "Us", I was intrigued. It was simply a pair of scissors and a couple of outlines and the same person. Then the trailers started to come. I watched 2 of them, just to get the premise. When the movie was in theaters, we couldn't find a weekend that worked out, or even a weekday. It is harder and harder to get out of the house the older my kids get, unless it involves one of their activities. So, as I said, we had an open weekend night, we put the kids to bed a little early and rented the movie off our TV.

Now, I need to say, there will be some spoilers, but this movie has been out for some time now, and if you wanted to see it, you already have I assume. But, if you have not yet, I suggest watching it before you read my review. Okay, got that out of the way.

"Us" is amazing. I loved every single second of this movie. While it had funny parts in it, just like "Get Out", "Us" is much more of a straight forward horror movie. Now, that is not to say that it has the jump scares like your cliché horror movie. I would describe the movie more as a psychological thriller, which I enjoy. This movie still has me thinking about it today, and we watched it this past Saturday. That is the sign of a great movie, as I have said many times. From the very opening scene, to the end, I was on pins and needles. I was clutching my wife's hand so hard that she had to pull it away for a moment. She said she was sweating from fear the whole time. The horror of the movie got to us for sure.

"Us" takes place in California, and it is, in my opinion, meeting the worst part of yourself. The family in the movie each has their own doppelganger who is the evil version of themselves. When they arrive on the doorstep of the home of the main family, that was when shit got wild. Winston Duke plays the dad, Gabe. He is great. He thinks he is the leader of the family. He thinks he is the tough guy. He is not. He is only fooling himself. And when he meets his evil twin, The Tethered they're called, you can see his insecurities. Shahadi Wright Joseph plays Zora, the teenage daughter addicted to her phone. Her evil Tethered is faster and way more ruthless than Zora will ever be. Zora is the butt kicker in the family. She is the one that acts and doesn't think. Her Tethered is even more intense. Evan Alex plays Jason, the son and magician of the family. His Tethered is a pyromaniac that happens to have the ability to move fast and do the tricks Jason cannot do. And when the Tethered Jason takes off his mask, Jason wears a Chewbacca mask throughout, it was horrifying. And then there is Adelaide, played excellently by Lupita Nyong’o. She is scared and overly protective of her children. Her Tethered, Red, is insane, and has a plan to take over the US.

When the movie starts, we see a young Adelaide at a carnival, and she wanders off to a hall of mirrors. In here is where she first meets her Tethered. That whole introductory scene is intense and scary as hell. We then see Adelaide after the incident, and she is in a therapist's office with her folks because she isn't talking due to trauma. We come to find out that she has grown up, married and had the 2 kids I mentioned. They return to the same spot every year with their friends, played by Elisabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker, who are hilarious and clearly have animosity towards each other. But, things keep happening to Adelaide that are starting to freak her out. She is starting to remember her childhood trauma. She tells Gabe that she wants to leave one night, and that is when the Tethered family shows up at their doorstep. We come to find out that Red, Adelaide's doppelganger, has a plan for all the Tethered to take over the US, like I said. She has all her minions doing her work. See, everyone in this universe has a doppelganger of their own that happens to be a murderous psychopath. Tim Heidecker and Elisabeth Moss each have one that gets them. Same with their daughters. The random people on the boardwalk have doppelgangers. There is a scene where a newscaster is reporting the story, and he gets slashed by his own doppelganger. It is creepy as hell. While this is going on, the main family is picking off their doppelgangers one by one. You come to realize that they are carbon copies of you, so what you do, they do. Duke gets his by bashing his head on boat motor, knocking him unconscious and sending him in the water to drown. Zora's doppelganger is in a race all night to get Zora, and eventually, she gets ramped off a car and struck by a tree. Jason sees his doppelganger hanging out by a big car fire, and makes him walk backwards into the fire, causing him to self immolate. As he is doing this though, he gets kidnapped by Red.

This is where shit gets crazy. We come to find out that Red has this plan for all the Tethered to join hands across the US like "Hands Across America". She has had this plan since she was a child. She wants all the people she has been with to experience a real life, just like Adelaide and her family. The fight scene after Red explains all this to Adelaide is amazing and scored beautifully. It is a ballet, something they reference a lot. Adelaide does eventually get Red in the end, and we think everything is okay. We think everything is going back to normal.

Here comes the major spoiler people.

What we come to realize, what Adelaide realizes as she is driving off with her family in an ambulance, is that she is not who she thinks she is. Adelaide is actually the Tethered. She is the one that Red saw in the hall of mirrors. Red was abducted by Adelaide when they were children. Adelaide assumed the role of her because she likes, and wants, chaos. There are little clues throughout the whole movie, but none make sense until after you have already watched the whole thing. I was absolutely stunned by this twist. When Adelaide realizes who she really is, she looks at Jason who is sitting up front with her, and they both smile, as if to say, they know who each other is. It was such a frightening way to end such a well crafted horror movie. It was stunning.

I loved "Us". Jordan Peele most definitely stayed away from the dreaded sophomore slump. He knocked it out of the park. Now I cannot wait to see what he does next, even more so than I did after seeing "Get Out". "Us" is wonderful, and I highly recommend watching it if you have a spare couple hours. You will not regret it, and you will think about it over and over again. What a great movie.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. His double is just like Ty except that the double is a huge Ohio State fan. That is true horror.

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So Far NBA Free Agency has Been Predictably Insane

NBA free agency started yesterday at around 5pm Saint Louis time, and it has been wild ever since. Yes, today has been a little less hectic, but yesterday was just a flurry of player movement, and big time contracts being handed out. I couldn't go a few minutes without my phone or watch buzzing with another player signing with a new team, or getting the max from their current team. It was nuts.

It all really started well before 5pm, as free agency always does now. But, right at 5:01, we got the big news that KD ad Kyrie Irving were both signing max spots with the Brooklyn Nets. This took me by surprise. I predicted on our pod 2 weeks ago that Kyrie would go to Brooklyn, but I thought KD was going to stay in Golden State. I even went as far to say that if KD were to leave, it would be for the Knicks. I was wrong. KD did go to New York, but he went to Brooklyn. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this a bit. I know that he wants to play with Kyrie, and the Nets are signing his good buddy Deandre Jordan, but still, the Nets? I wonder how much of this has to do with Jay-Z, how much it has to do with not being on the Knicks because James Dolan is a train wreck of an owner, more on him in a few, or how much it has to do with the years, and money, the Nets offered him? I think, given the report, it has to do mostly with Dolan being a humongous dip shit, and not offering him the max because he is apparently afraid of the risk in KD's injury. That is so god damn stupid. If you have a chance to get KD, you get him. Yes, he will not be playing this year at all, and it may take another 6-8 months after that for him to fully be back. But still, KD at 70-80 percent is still one of the top players in the NBA. The Nets, even though I am not a Kyrie fan at all, did get a whole lot better yesterday. But, be patient Nets fans, the payoff won't come for another year and a half, basically until KD is near full recovery. My hat goes off to the Nets though. They are relevant again.

This does mean they had to let go of D'Angelo Russell, who the Golden State Warriors somehow managed to get in a sign and trade. Just when you think the Warriors might have a bit of a down year, at least for them, they go out and find a way to get Russell, and today they maxed out Klay, who will miss most of this year too. But, the fact that they were able to get a player of Russell's caliber in a sign and trade proves how much this team wants to stay relevant. I know they had to offload Andre Iguodala to do this, but, as much as I respect Iggy, he is pretty much done. This was a tremendous, and highly unexpected move on day one of free agency. And Russell has gotten so much better since Magic traded him a few years back to the Nets. He is going to fit in just fine with Steph and Draymond and Klay, when he comes back.

The Heat, while it isn't a done deal yet, went out and got their star, hopefully, in Jimmy Butler. I like this move for both teams. Butler will be "the guy" in Miami, Erik Spoelstra has coached, at a very, very high level, the best of the best, Pat Riley is a great front office guy and there is no sales tax in Miami. Jimmy Butler, if he wasn't going to stay in Philly, made the second best choice in joining the Heat. They just need to get it done.

Butler's old team, the 76ers, gave Tobias Harris a huge deal, but I think he was the better of the 2 guys they traded for on that team. He is a better shooter, and a solid defender. He struggled a bit in the playoffs, but I think he will bounce back. They also resigned Mike Scott, an underrated signing if you ask me, and they got Al Horford to somehow sign there. I don't like that they gave him 4 years. But, with Horford, Embiid and Simmons, that is going to be a monster front court, especially on defense. I mean, good luck getting to the hoop on those guys.

They did lose JJ Redick to the Pelicans, and let me tell you, the Pelicans are crushing this offseason. They got Zion. They got a boat load in return for AD. They are about to sign Derrick Favors. I mean, this is about as fast, and as good, a rebuild as I have ever seen after a team trades a franchise player. I questioned RD saying they could push for the playoffs in the pod I already mentioned, but after yesterday, it wouldn't shock me to see them hang around all year in the standings. They are going to be a boat load of fun to watch as well.

The Bucks gave Khris Middleton the max, as expected, and earned. They also got Brook Lopez and George Hill back. They went out and nabbed Robin Lopez as well. They are, pretty much, running it back. And why not when they won 60 games last year and made the conference finals. But, they did trade Malcom Brogdon. I don't think this is as huge a loss as some do, but it will still hurt. They need to find another shooter.

Brogdon got traded to the Pacers, and the Pacers are going for it. They traded for Brogdon and signed Jeremy Lamb. They could still be in the mix for some trades as well, but I loved their moves so far. They get Oladipo back, they now have a solid scorer in Brogdon, Lamb can be a knock down shooter, and Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner is a very good, very young front court.

The Celtics lost out on Kyrie and Horford, and settled for Kemba Walker. I love Kemba Walker. I've loved him since he was at UCONN. But I fear that the Celtics will try and turn him into Isaish Thomas 2.0. That should not be his place in the NBA. I wished MJ would have paid up to keep him there because Walker was the only reason to even watch the Hornets. Now I have to watch him lose shots to guys like Gordon Hayward, that is a bummer. But, I don't blame him for taking that contract. That was some big money.

Orlando re upped Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross. They also went out and got Al Farouq Aminu. These moves are fine, but it doesn't really move the needle as far as them being a higher seed in the playoffs next year.

Portland has made some trades, but most importantly, they gave Dame his much deserved max extension. That alone will keep them in contention.

Remember when I said I'd talk more about James Dolan? Well, here it is. He didn't offer KD the max, which is stupid. He took a shoot first guard at number three in this draft. He didn't even try to sign Kemba. He completely whiffed on Kyrie. He traded Kristaps Porzingis last year. And his solution you ask? To give guys like Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson and Julius Randle two and three year deals. I mean, what the hell. I do like Julius Randle, just not as a first or second option, which he will be with the Knicks. Bobby Portis is more known for punching out a teammate in Chicago, and I think Taj Gibson is older than me. And, along with drafting RJ Barrett, who you all know I am not high on, they took Ignas Brazdeikes in the second round, and I watched him all last year at Michigan and think, this guy is not ready for the NBA. The Knicks are a joke, and that is sad. James Dolan is awful, and he needs to sell the team.

There was a bunch of other movement yesterday, and a little more so far today. But, the biggest name, after KD, is still left, and that is Kawhi Leonard. I don't have a single clue as to what he will do, and I am getting a bit frustrated at all the reports saying the Lakers are the front runners to sign him now. I have looked at Kawhi as his own entity. As a guy that wants to be "the guy" on his team. The guy that ends dynasties, doesn't join them. I was personally hoping he'd stay in Toronto, and he very well might, or go to the Clippers, and try and make them a better draw than the Lakers in the same building, and that can still happen too. But, if he sings with the Lakers, I will have a whole blog about how much of a bigger cop out that would be than when KD joined the 73 win Warriors. That would be completely out of character for him, and I don't know how well he would adjust to being the third guy on the Lakers. Also, he would be being coached by LeBron. Sure, Frank Vogel and Jason Kidd are "figureheads" there, but after last season, and this offseason, it is very clear who runs that team now. It is LeBron and Rich Paul. I don't see Kawhi taking too well to that environment. But, if he wants to be in LA, and he chooses the Lakers, so be it. It would be a punk move, but who am I to tell a guy to turn down that much money to go play in his home city. It would only make my hatred for the Lakers that much more intense. But, after all the big stars that signed yesterday, Kawhi is the biggest name left, and he will dictate the course of action in the league next year. Wherever he goes, or if he stays in Toronto, that team will be the favorite because he is there. We just have to wait and see.

I love NBA free agency, and yesterday felt like my birthday. It was a joy to see all the movement and big contracts being signed left and right. I cannot wait to watch the NBA this coming season. It is truly becoming the best sport in the world.

Ty

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

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Ty Listens to "Let's Rock"

An album I have been waiting for for about 5 years now finally came out today. The Black Keys new record "Let's Rock" was released worldwide today. The first thing I did after I woke up and fed my kids breakfast was download the record, and I have been listening ever since. I wanted to do a kind of instant reaction to this record. I wanted to try something a little different. I usually give an album 2 or 3 listens before writing about it. But, The Black Keys are one of my all time favorite bands, and I wanted to write about the record as I heard it in its entirety the first time.

So, first reactions right off the bat, I really like the record. I'm sure I will grow to love it with more listens, but right now, I just really, really like it. It has a bit of a different feel from their previous records. That is a good thing. I have said that I appreciate when bands deviate from what made them famous and try something new. That is why I loved "Turn Blue" by them so much. It was a big departure. "Let's Rock" doesn't have that psychedelic feel that "Turn Blue" had though. "Let's Rock" reminds me a ton of Creedance Clearwater Revival, who I also love. It is a rock record through and through. There are some songs that have that wonderful distorted guitar sound I instantly fell in love with, but then it shifts into a slower rock song. That surprised me in a good way. I listened to the three song EP they put out a few months ago, with the songs "Go", "Hi/Lo" and "Eagle Birds", and I loved all of those. But, they were straight up rock songs. There are some songs on this record that are way different, and I bet when I see them live in a few months my appreciation with grow tenfold.

The opening track "Shine a Little Light" starts off super hot, with a great guitar riff and drum groove, and then it slows down to an almost ballad. It is jarring at first, but as the song moves, it gets better and better. "Tell Me Lies" is one of their slower songs, but I like when they do stuff like that. I like when they slow it down and go a bit away from their comfort zone. "Fire Walk With Me" is a great closer to this record as well, I just finished my first go through. It wraps up the record perfectly. I'm going to keep listening because that is what I do, especially with Black Keys records. I want to get a real feel for it.

The second go round has just started for me, and I am already super in to it. Even more so than the first time, which is a good sign. I keep bobbing my head with all the new songs that I am hearing. Look, I was predestined to like this record. I love this band. I have been a fan since I first saw them on an MTV2 awards show back in 2002. I have followed them ever since. When I see them in a few months that will make, I believe, the tenth time I have seen them live. The Black Keys are a great band. I'm actually shocked they aren't more famous, because they are so god damn good at what they do.

First reactions? "Let's Rock" is a good mix of their old sound, and a new thing they are trying. I love that they keep adding something new to their sound with each new album. That shows growth. They have never gotten stale. Keep up the good work gentleman, and I cannot wait to hear these new songs live.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He likes to bob his head around to let his kids know how rock music should be. Up and down is a “yes, do not stop rocking”. Back and forth is “no, do not ever stop rocking”.

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Time for a Dad Hat

I have made no bones about how much I love being a dad, and a stay at home parent on this site, and on our pod. It is the best job in the world, I get to dress however in the hell I want, I don't mind the stares, or the "it is so nice of you to give mom a day off" comments, I love being there for major milestones, it is amazing. But, there are some things that I have successfully been able to avoid that are cliché dad things.

What stuff? Things like mowing the lawn and admiring it. Sure, I mow the lawn, but it is more for the workout than looking at a freshly shorn lawn. I like to grill, but I do not consider myself an expert griller, I don't have my own tongs, and I ask for help from anyone willing to give advice. I used to wear cargo shorts, back in my high school days, but I have not since revisited that in my years as a dad. I actually wear Columbia all weather type shorts now. They're great, and I love that they have built in netting so I can swim in them, and then continue my day without having to switch to cargo shorts. I also don't have too much to carry around anymore, just my keys, wallet and phone. So, I don't need cargo shorts. I am very proud to say that I have never, nor will I ever, wear New Balance shoes. Look, my dad wears them, I'm sure one, if not all three, of my brothers wear them (ed note: Hell no I do not wear New Balance), and I know that I have at home dad friends that wear them as well. I just don't like them on a personal level. I think they look too bulky, the few pairs I have tried on were very uncomfortable, they have no flash and I don't think they are as good a running shoe as some would like me to believe. I'm an Altra man as I stated awhile back.

But, I did finally cave to a dad trope yesterday. One I have actually avoided for a bit now, but I finally gave in, and I have to say, I love it.

I got my first "dad hat". For those that may not know, a "dad hat" is made of a material akin to a cotton shirt, they are distressed, they have an open back, but it is not a snapback, and you really only see dad's, or people that look like dad's, wearing them. I almost bought one at a Run the Jewels show a few years back, but I hesitated. I wish I hadn't, because that hat was dope as hell. But, now that I am a Suns fan I decided that I needed some team gear. I went on Amazon, found a great deal on a Suns hat, and it just happened to be a "dad hat". I bought it, and waited for it to arrive. It got here yesterday, and I immediately put it on my head and was astounding at how much I liked the feel and fit. It was just perfect. I love the distressed feel. It feels like I have worn it for awhile. It didn't need the breaking in that a snap back or fitted hat needs. The back was way, way better than I expected. I am a fitted hat fan way more than snapback, so this was my biggest concern. But to have the material be the same as the hat, unlike a snapback that is plastic, is great. You don't feel it push into the back of your head like a snap back. The bill was already bent like I like it, so that was another plus. And the look, I love. It fits almost too good. I have not taken it off since I got it, except when I eat meals, or go to bed. I even wore it backwards a ton yesterday and today, and that is great. I used to wear hats backwards a lot when I was a kid, but as I get older, I am more prone to wear my hat forward. But with the "dad hat", wearing it backwards was great. It has a good look. The slouch makes it look fine, at least to me. It was awesome.

So, while I have denied, and will continue to deny, that I am getting older, and turning more and more into a father everyday, including "dad hat's" and dad jokes now, I have to say that this is one thing I am happy to take on as a dad and older guy now. "Dad hat's" rule, and if you are older and on the fence about buying one, don't. You will love it. I know I love mine.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Up next for Ty’s dad life? How about a copy of Sports by Huey Lewis and the News?

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Jimmy Butler to the Rockets is a Terrible Idea

With NBA free agency on the cusp, it starts on Sunday, I have heard a ton of rumors about a ton of players. I don't know what is real, what is a smoke screen, and where these guys are going, but I'm excited to see all the player movement that is going to happen this summer. RD and I just did a pod about this, and I feel like you can hear my excitement.

One story that I read last night left me shaking my head. I wanted to believe that it wasn't real because it is so asinine that I couldn't believe it. Then a bunch of other reputable reporters came out and confirmed the news too. That news you ask, the Houston Rockets are going to actively pursue Jimmy Butler in a sign and trade as soon as free agency starts.

The whole sign and trade is now a big part of the free agency period, and some big moves have come this way. But, I am at a loss as to why a team like the Rockets, what with all the offseason turmoil, be that true or false, would want to pursue another ball dominant, head strong player. Butler also plays a totally different style of basketball than Mike D'Antoni coaches, and the Rockets have built a roster around.

As I read the story even further, I looked at some of the players that have been named as to who the 76ers would want for Butler, if this were to happen. Names like Eric Gordon, PJ Tucker, and most shockingly to me, Clint Capela, have come up as the names that the 76ers want, and who the Rockets would be willing to give up to get him. I know that earlier this summer Daryl Morey, who is a blowhard and wildly, wildly overrated in my opinion, said that every player on the team is on the trading block. But, to give up on guys like Gordon, Tucker and Capela is nuts. These three guys fit perfectly with what the Rockets do, but they are willing to offload them for a guy, while being a really, really, really good basketball player, may think a little to high of himself. Sure, he torched the Timberwolves other starters while he was there, but come on. Butler is good, but he is not worth completely changing your style, and giving up players that fit with James Harden so well. I mean, Eric Gordon is an elite knock down three point shooter. Without him, the Rockets would have lost the Warriors series in a sweep. He seemed to hit the big shots that they needed to keep leads, or build leads, in the 2 games they won. PJ Tucker is the best defensive player they have, and he is a better three point shooter than Jimmy Butler right now. Yes, Butler is a better defender, but he can't guard big guys like Tucker can. And Tucker, like I just said, can hit the corner three with great precision. I don't think he missed during the series against the Warriors. And Capela, while free throw shooting is a problem, and he was kind of played off the floor in the most recent playoffs, he is still so young and so talented. He is one of the better rim runners in the league, and he can be, if he is locked in, a defensive force against modern centers. Also, he still has time to develop a three point shot. I am a big, big fan of Capela's.

So, to give up on 1, 2 or all 3 of these guys for Butler makes no sense, as far as the Rockets are concerned, to me. Adding Butler to a roster that has James Harden and Chris Paul is only going to cause more problems. If you believe the reports, Paul and Harden despise one another. Paul doesn't think Harden has the drive of a champion, and Harden thinks Paul is old and not as good anymore. Both are right, but they need each other to win, or even compete, for a title. Add Butler to this mix. and I just don't know, or think, that this works out at all. Butler for one is not a three point shooter. He attacks the rim, but he is a mid range guy. The Rockets don't want anyone shooting mid range shots. They want threes, layups and free throws. That is not Butler's game. He would also be the only guy willing and capable to play defense on this roster after the trade, where it to occur. I also think he would get fed up with standing in the corner and watching Harden pound the ball for 20 seconds and shoot a three, or try to draw a foul. That is miserable to watch, and I feel like it would be even worse to be a player relegated to watching one guy run the offense. I also think he and Paul would gang up on Harden by the midway point of the year, and that would be awful. Harden is younger, and much more talented on the offensive end, than both of them combined. But I feel like they would try and ice him out. That is the worst case scenario for the Rockets.

This move makes zero sense to me. I don't like the Rockets, and I think it would be hilarious to see them self implode. But, they have a real shot with the current roster construct to win the title this upcoming season because of the Warriors injuries. I'd love the move for Philadelphia, but I think the Rockets should look in the mirror, I'm talking mainly to you Daryl Morey, and realize they don't need to add another toxic, alpha male to a roster that already has 2 of them. That would be a mistake.

Ty

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

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Ty Listens to " Dancing on the Wind"

A couple of weeks ago The Sloppy Boys, Mike Hanford, Tim Kalpakis and Jefferson Dutton, all from The Birthday Boys, and several written comedy shows, released their second album, "Dancing on the Wind". They did the podcast go round to promote the record, and played some live songs while appearing on the pods I listen to. I was a fan of their first album, and I figured, with a little extra work, and touring they did, the second record would be even better.

I was right. I adore this album. I can put it on at any time of day and it will bring a smile to my face, and I will happily sing along to the songs. I love how solid they all are as musicians, and the fact that they are good at comedy, it makes the lyrics to the song so much more enjoyable for me. None of these guys had to do much to win me over, I watched both seasons of Birthday Boys on IFC, and have followed their comedy careers since, and Mike Hanford as John Lennon is one of the best comedy bits that I hope never ends. But, on "Dancing on the Wind", they made me like them that much more.

The record starts out great with "Santa Ana Winds". It is a straight forward, some may say pop, some may say punk, song that is as funny as it is good. The music is solid, the lyrics are hilarious, especially when they talk about drying off a body part with a Dyson blade, and the song is a tight 2 minutes and 40 seconds. You get the feel right off the bat that The Sloppy Boys knew exactly what they wanted to do with this record, and "Santa Ana Winds" is a great jumping off point. The second song, "Lifeguard Life", is not only my son's favorite song, but he cracks up every time he hears it. It is about as perfect as a summer guitar surfer song can get. Mike Hanford nails the lyrics, and the instrumentation behind it is wonderful. From there on out, this record has some solid hits. One of my favorites, and my wife's for that matter, is "I'm Taken". We have both asked each other, on separate occasions, what Kalpakis' wife must think of this song. I think she loves it, my wife seems to think that she thinks it is hilarious. It is a great song either way. "Give it Up" is awesome. I like that they use distorted guitars, and the song has a build to the chorus that always gets me. When they finally reach it, I am fully on board. "Radio Dayze" is ridiculous and hilarious and perfect for someone my age. Hanford sings the song about all the "good" music he used to listen to on the radio, and he name checks people and bands like Master P, Avril Lavinge, Train, Limp Bizkit and Incubus, among many others. It is a riot. "East Coast Wedding" and "Smashing the Plates" have similar tones, and they are both about messing stuff up. They both rule as well. "The Bands" is a riot. I love "Slop Head", and have taken to calling myself one, and my wife called me one the other day when I put this album on in the car. But my favorite song on the whole record is "Classic New York Night". It might be their longest song to date, but it is awesome. It has that build up that I mentioned before, but it actually makes me want to visit New York City, something I never thought was possible. They make it sound so damn cool. And I now know that "no trains go to Staten Island", from my many listens to the song.

This whole album is really good, and totally worth a listen. If you know of these guys, or are familiar with their work, you will love this record. But, I played it for a buddy of mine who listens to punk rock, and who had no idea who these guys were, and he loved it. He told me that fact the other day. Go check out "Dancing on the Wind" by The Sloppy Boys. It is pure summer music, it is funny, it is fun, but above all else, it is really good.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Much like Homer, Ty does not want to go to New York City due to the problems with pimps and C.H.U.D.S.

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Let's Talk About the Great Entertainment on My Vacation

I wanted to talk about my vacation for the entire week when I got back on my blog, but other stuff kept popping up that I needed to write about. I did write about three things I really loved on my trip, and today, I am going to talk about the fourth, and final, thing I wanted to write about. I have mentioned the food, the resort and my wonderful dolphin swimming adventure, and today, I want to talk about the entertainment that Secrets Capri offered its guests every night, and during the afternoon.

So, in the afternoon, usually after lunch time, they had some kind of live music. One day they had a band that sang pop hits ranging from the 90's to now. When this band played, my wife told me that it was the best live show she had ever been to. They were playing music she loved, she was in a pool and she was getting served free drinks. This comment made sense to me. And while I have seen much, much better live shows, this was definitely fun. After that band played, a guy drummed along to EDM music for about an hour, and he was pretty good. We also saw other live music during the afternoon. One day there was a couple of dudes, with long hair, that played what one might consider beach songs acoustically. They were relaxing and enjoyable. Another day there was a gentleman playing solo guitar to modern songs. He was tremendous.

There was also some kind of activity in, or around the pool and beach everyday. I did water aerobics one day, we had a staying on a surfboard contest, there was pickleball everyday, soccer matches, dance contests, all kinds of cool stuff to check out while hanging at the pool. They also offered stuff like snorkeling, parasailing, kayaking and jet skis. But, I preferred the live entertainment, and the pool games. The staff that ran the pool activities was phenomenal as well. They were fun, but also gave us a solid workout. It was a nice way to get some exercise, but also have a ton of fun.

At night, the entertainment got even better. Again, they had a special thing for every night that we were there. One night they had a showing of "Bohemian Rhapsody" on a big inflatable screen. While I didn't think the movie was that good, I did love the music I have to say, it was cool to watch it on a big screen right by the beach at night time. They also gave us free movie snacks. Another night they had a magician. We didn't go to this show, but talked to other people, and they said it was a good show. The last night we were there they had an entire show dedicated to the history of Mexico, mainly talking about the Aztecs. This was awesome. They did live music, they told a story and they had people interpreting their words through movement. It was really neat while also being informative. The actors they had were really good too. The costumes were top notch as well.

But, the best thing I saw while we were there was the Beatles cover band they had. The band was great. I have seen more than enough Beatles cover bands, I play Beatles music myself, but this band was really solid. They sounded great, and the guitar player was excellent. They did, at times, sound like the Beatles, especially when they played stuff off "Sargent Peppers". They also had a Cirque de Soleil show going on while the band played, and that was a delight. To see the things these performers could do with rings and bars and their body movement, I was amazed. It was one of the coolest, and most unique things I have ever seen in a Beatles cover show. It was so good.

This whole trip was amazing, and I wanted to let you all in as much as I could with my recollection of everything. Again, I highly recommend checking out Secrets Capri if you can. It has everything you could want, and it is all top of the line.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Right now for his summer vacation Ty is soaking up the history and culture of west St. Louis County. Most of those shows take place at the little league ball fields.

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Marc Maron Playing a Small Club is Comedy Bliss

Last week I got to see Marc Maron do live stand up for the second time, and he was awesome. As I said the first time I saw him, the guy is an absolute pro. He knows how to do his job, and do it at a very high level.

He played Helium here in Saint Louis, which is a smaller club, and that kind of shocked me. He even said during his set that he usually plays theaters, which got a big laugh, but I loved seeing him in a smaller room. The last time he was in Saint Louis he played The Firebird which is a rock venue. This time he went the club route, and he picked the best one we have in Saint Louis. Helium is great, and it was a filled room last Friday. And, as I said, he crushed. I was in stiches the whole time. My buddy and I went to the early show last Friday, and it was great. The whole club was packed. We got there about 10 minutes early, and we had to sit on the side of the club, next to the kitchen, because every other seat was already filled. One thing I was super stoked about, as we were walking in to get tickets, Marc Maron was out by the booth, saw us, and told us to "come on in". I was in shock. Maron is a big time star, at least in my eyes, and he acknowledge me and my buddy. This was big for me. After we got our tickets, my buddy and I talked about him talking to us. It was great.

The show started right on time, and his opener, I cannot for the life of me remember her name, was great. She had this soft voice, but her jokes pack a loud punch. The stuff about her boyfriend was awesome. The sneezing bit was great. She was a solid comedian, and she felt like a perfect opener for Maron. Maron then came out right after her and started with a bang. He mocked Missouri because we are a backwards ass state when it comes to politics, and that won over the crowd right away. He meant no disrespect, and he is right. As far as politics go, Missouri stinks. And that is one thing you should expect when you go to a Marc Maron stand up set. He is a political guy, he leans to the left, and he will let it be known. And the crowd was all the same. I have called myself a super liberal. My buddy is a democrat. The majority of the crowd, if not all of us, are democrats, and are just as terrified at the current state of the government as Marc Maron is. We just can't make it laugh out loud funny like he does. I won't spoil it, but his ending bit about Pence was pure gold. If you have a chance to see him on this tour, go because he rules, but also go for this bit. It is amazing.

Outside of the political stuff, he told some great, and hilarious, stories. The stuff about taking vitamins as you get older was tremendous. The stuff about his old life in comedy clubs was perfect. The tea bit was outstanding. But my favorite was the anti vaccine idiots. It was so well crafted, and the story was so well told, while also being absolutely funny. It was such a good way to deal with these morons. To call them out, and their lack of science. I was proud and cracking up. It was great.

Marc Maron is so good at pretty much everything he does. I love that he still goes on tour and plays small clubs. It is the best way to see him. He is now, well he always has been, a must see when he is on tour and he comes to Saint Louis. Please, if you like stand up, and you want to see one of the best, go see Marc Maron. He is so good, and I hope he comes back to Saint Louis soon. Maron rules.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is an advocate to let St. Louis separate from the rest of Missouri. It’s not like anyone in St. Louis says they are from Missouri anyways.

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Ty's 2019 Mock NBA Draft

Tonight is the NBA draft. I love the NBA draft. I used to watch all the picks when I was a kid, and even through my first few years of college. I still, to this day, follow every pick on my phone on one of my sports apps. I, for some unknown reason, am enamored by where the top players get drafted.

For example, I  was a stunned as everyone oelse when the Cavs took Anthony Bennett first overall. I was rooting hard for guys like Hasheem Thabeet and Brandon Jennings were lottery picks. I'll never forget that I fought hard that the Bucks won the trade that sent Dirk Nowitzki to the Mavericks for Robert "Tractor" Traylor. I vividly remember thinking the Vancouver Grizzlies totally blew it when they selected Bryant Reeves in the top three. My exact words were, "don't take that country fed white boy". Needless to say, the NBA draft, and only the NBA draft, has played a big part in ,y sports fandom. I also love the pageantry that goes into the whole night. I also like how fast paced it is. It is fun. For something so ridiculous, I love it. So, much like I did with the NFL draft in April, I will be ranking my top 10 prospects, and give you 5 guys that I think will not live up to the hype. I'm not going to do a mock draft because that is an exercise in futility. It is like picking the perfect March Madness bracket. No one has ever gotten even close to 90 percent of the draft correct. I like doing the top 10 and not so top 5 instead. I will also do in descending order. Alright, lets get started.

My number 10 player is PJ Washington from Kentucky. He is big, physical, can shoot, and will get better in the NBA, and he is one of the few Kentucky guys that benefited from coming back for another season. That made his draft stock soar. I feel like he will be a better version of David West, who was a multiple All Star. Washington is legit.

At number 9 I have Darius Garland. I know a ton of people have him much higher, and I am falling in that "potential" trap, but this kid was amazing in high school, and his 4 games at Vanderbilt were pretty good. He reminds me so much of Damian Lillard. He can shoot from anywhere on the floor. You have to guard him. He is also a good passer with a high IQ. The only knock, and why I have him at 9 and not 4, is the fact that he tore an Achilles, and only played 4 games. He has so much potential, but he will have to prove that he was not just a high school wunderkind. He has a whole lot to prove.

At number 8 I have Brandon Clarke from Gonzaga. I think I might be higher on him than any of the other "draft experts". You all know I love older college players. I pushed for Buddy Hield to be the number one pick in his draft. Well Clarke was a transfer from SDSU, refined his jumper and became a solid all around player while at Gonzaga. He was the best player on a team that spent a good amount at the top of the rankings last year. He will also understand that he has a role to play. He doesn't need the ball all the time. He doesn't have to score. He doesn't need to be flashy. He is the exact player that every team should want. He is going to be so good, and I think, because I believe he will slide past the lottery, that we will all look back in 3 or 4 years and think, damn Brandon Clarke is a good professional basketball player.

At number 7 I have Coby White. This kid is a flash of lightening, can shoot the three and plays like a traditional point guard. He is like Russell Westbrook, except his is a much more willing passer. He had a great ACC and NCAA tournament, and has been apparently lights out in private workouts. I also love his afro. Coby White is going to be good, but he has potential to be great. If he could land with Phoenix or Chicago, that would be best. Coby White is good.

At number 6 I have Jaxson Hayes from Texas. You cannot teach height, and this kid has a ton of it. He also proved to be a solid rim protector and rebounder in his one year in college. He can also score in the post, and shoot a little from the outside. But, he is very raw and young. It will take time, but I see him as being a better pro than John Collins, who I think is already pretty good. Hayes willingness to defend will keep him on the court as a rookie, and from there on out, he will only get better with coaching. I feel like he is the best traditional big in the draft.

At number 5 I have Nassir Little from UNC. Hear me out. I know he did not live up to the recruiting hype in college, but this kid is freakishly athletic, and if you want to take a chance, and hit a grand slam in the mid to late lottery, I wouldn't hesitate for one second in taking Little. He is the type of player, given the proper coaching, could turn out to be a star. Remember when Dwayne Wade went 10th overall? Or when Rashard Lewis didn't get picked until round 2? I feel like Little has that type of star potential if he is put in the right position.

At number 4 I have Little's teammate, Cam Johnson. Again, I know this is much higher than most have him, but the kid can shoot threes at a high clip, and isn't that what you want from a 6'7 guard in the modern NBA? He could very well be the next Klay. He has the ability to be that good of a shooter. He was lights out in college, and I can see that easily projecting to the NBA. If he gets picked by a team like Sacramento or Cleveland, I think they'd be delighted to have a knock down shooter from outside.

At number 3 I have a tie between Jarrett Culver and Deandre Hunter. Maybe this is unfair, or I should have done a top 11, but I don't care. After watching these 2 face off in the title game, I loved both of their games. Culver may not have had the best shooting game, but he can get to the rim, and he can shoot the jumper. He can also get to the line. And his defense is legit. He is such a good defender. Again, if you can defend, you can stay on the floor and learn the rest of the game. Culver will be  longtime pro. Hunter is almost as good a defender, and he can hit the open shot. He made so many big time threes in the biggest game of his college career. He was the reason Virginia won the title. That game, even though I already loved him before, put him over the edge for me. I have so much faith in Hunter and his ability to become not just a good pro, but an All Star.

At number 2 I have Zion Williamson. Again, here me out. Zion is one of the best athletic talents I have ever watched in the college game. He has thunderous dunks, which I love, and he plays hard defense. He is going to single handily going to save the New Orleans franchise. My only questions are, will he get into better shape because he will not be able to over power pros, and can he develop a shot. I think he can do both, but I keep going back to these 2 things when I think about the draft. I know he will be the top pick, and he will sell tickets, and I think he will be good, I just don't see him as the top player in this draft.

My top player, coming in at number one, is Ja Morant. I love this kid. I love his motor. I love his dunking ability. I love his relentless will to get to the rim. I love that he made his jumper more consistently this year. I love that he is a willing passer. I love that we got to see him, the national we that is, in the tournament this year. I love that he is a small school kid. I do not dislike anything about Morant. I have zero doubts that he will be an absolute star, and I love that Memphis is going to take him because they are the closest professional basketball team to me, and I can watch him play a ton next year. Morant is my guy. He is legit.

Now lets get to the guys that I don't think will be as good as projected.

At number 5 I have Rui Hachimura. Now, I like Hachimura, I just think he should have gone back to school for one more year to really hone his skills. He tested the waters last year, but came back to improve. But, he didn't really improve on the things I was hoping he would improve on. Sure, he is an okay rebounder, and can score in the post. But, his jumper is weak, he got exposed on defense, and the fact that Clarke surpassed him as the guy shows me that he needs more work. I hope I'm wrong on Hachimura, but I don't see it with him.

At number 4 I have Bol Bol. I know he has plummeted down draft boards, but I feel like that is for dumb reasons like, he has outside hobbies. So what? That shouldn't matter. But what worries me about him is the injury he sustained this year, and his frail upper body. He is so tall, but he is rail thin. Guys like Draymond Green or Serge Ibaka or Marc Gasol are going to destroy him when he is defending them, and they aren't even the best of the best. Bol is about as raw as they get in this draft.

At number 3 I have Romeo Langford. This kid was supposed to be the savior in Indiana, and they stunk this year. I watched him get bullied by Michigan this year. He couldn't do anything until the game was already decided. He needs a ton of work and time. He is not a lottery pick, and at time during the college season, he looked a step slow and confused. I think whoever takes him, especially if he goes in the lottery, is going to be upset when they trade or cut him in two years.

At number 2 I have Cam Reddish. If Little didn't live up to the hype, Reddish was a total "one and one" bust. He flat out disappeared at times during this past season. I forgot he was on Duke. I then forgot that he was the top recruit on that team. He is nothing more than potential. He didn't show me anything that jumped off the screen when I watched him play last year. He was non existent during the season, and in the tournament, when he could've really made a name for himself, he did nothing. I cannot believe this kid is a surefire lottery pick.

And my number one guy that I have no faith in is RJ Barrett. Yes, I understand he will be a very high lottery pick, but come on, how is he not a very, very, very poor man's Kobe Bryant? He has serious tunnel vision and only looks to score. There were times, and I loathe Duke basketball, where I would yell at him to pass the ball to Zion. He just puts his head down and tries to score. His jumper is also wack as hell. It is broken. He may have averaged 4 assists a game, but that was pure luck, or leak out passes to Zion for a dunk. It was a very hollow 4 assists. Barrett is going to go to New York, and he and Dennis Smith Jr will be fighting over shots all season, and the Knicks will win 15 games again. I just cannot get on the bandwagon for this kid. He is too self focused for me. I don't see it.

Okay, there is my "expert" opinion on 15 players that will get picked tonight. We will have to wait a couple of years to see if I was right. But, I am very excited to see where everyone gets picked, and I will have my eyes on the three Wolverines in the draft tonight. Yeah, the NBA draft is here. Get pumped people.

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 Room" Being Introduced by Tommy Wiseau. Need I say More?

I went to see "The Room" at midnight this past Saturday here in Saint Louis. This is my second time going to see this movie for a midnight showing. I wrote about the first time, and how fun and special that night was. The reason I went this second time was made so much more special because the man, the myth, the legend that is Tommy Wiseau was there in person.

The moment I saw that Wiseau was going on this "Love is Blind" tour with "The Room", and that is was coming through Saint Louis, I knew I was going. I texted my buddy that I watched it with the first time, and I told him I was getting us tickets. He was on board. So, I waited with anticipation from the moment I printed my tickets all the way up to the actual date. I read all the Facebook and Tivoli movie theater messages, telling me about the event and how to get prepared for the night. I found it oddly hilarious that they would send multiple messages about "Tommy's mood", and "sometimes you have to buy stuff to get a picture", and "he may or may not be there after he introduces the movie". Tommy Wiseau is a very odd man, and these messages just added to weirdness that was going to ensue.

My buddy and I arrived at the theater an hour early, as suggested, and we quickly found out that we would be waiting for awhile, and that the movie was definitely not going to be starting right at midnight. We were around the middle of the line, and it was moving at a snails pace. People would stop and take pictures of the poster, pose for pictures with him, buy merchandise and spend way, way too much time with him while getting their personal pictures. It was actually kind of frustrating waiting in line that long. But, I chalk that up to the fact that we weren't going to buy anything, and that I had planned on just snapping a few shots when he introduced the movie, which I did. But, I also don't totally blame Wiseau and his people for this, I also blame the theater for being unprepared for the crowd, which was odd considering this was the second night. I even contemplated leaving early because I realized that I am getting way too old to be out that late, and I was very, very tired just driving there. I am officially an old man. But, we stuck it out, the theater saved it by saying the movie would start no later than 1:15.

The reason for the delay was the crowd, getting everyone in and in seats and Tommy Wiseau doing his intro and taking questions. But the Q and A was where it really picked up. Tommy came on stage, after they showed a preview of his new movie "Big Shark", and he was a delight. He is such a weird dude, but he was funny, condescending in a delightful way and very open with his answers. I was cracking up at his response to some of the questions. He even went on a Steven Spielberg tangent that was at times preposterous and hilarious. He was also wearing 5 belts, one draped around his neck, sunglasses and, for some reason, yellow working gloves. It was quite the look. But when I look back at it, after finally catching up on sleep, it was exactly what I wanted to see, and what I expected. That 15 minute intro was more than worth the cost of admission. It, for real, saved the night for me. They started the movie, right at 1:15, and it was just like the first time, only this time, the theater was sold out. The mocking was great. The chanting was dope. The comments were perfect. The spoon throwing was epic. It was so, so much fun. By the middle of the movie, I stopped looking at my watch and just enjoyed myself.

This is the exact way “The Room” should be watched. To see it in a sold out theater, with like minded people, was exquisite. I'm so glad we stuck it out and stayed for the entire event. It was a blast, and a night that I won't soon forget for a myriad of reasons. If you have a chance to see a midnight showing of this movie do it. And, if Tommy Wiseau is going to be there, make sure you go. It is well worth your time.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is onboard to see “The Room” again if we can have James Franco as Tommy Wiseau to introduce the movie.

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Do Not Fear, the Warriors Will Still Be Good Next Year

Last week I heaped praise on the Raptors, which was much deserved and expected. Then yesterday I talked about my feelings involving the Anthony Davis trade. Today I want to take a little bit of a deep dive into what I think the Warriors will look like next year and beyond.

What the Warriors definitely have is Steph Curry, and he is a very, very good basketball player. They also have Steve Kerr who has proven to be a very good coach. Sure, he has been gifted with some of the best NBA players ever, but you still have to coach those guys, and he has won three titles with them. They also have Draymond back for one more season, at least, and when engaged, he is a great defender, the key to running their offense, and plays super hard. By all accounts, Klay Thompson, especially if you listen to his dad, is coming back, although he is going to miss a solid portion of next season after tearing his ACL.

After that, it gets kind of murky. Kevon Looney made himself look like a solid free agent this offseason after his playoff performance. He may opt to leave for more money and playing time. Both Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala are near, if not already there, the end of their careers. Livingston more so than Iguodala. Jordan Bell is still there, and on a rookie contract, but he really regressed this season. Andrew Bogut will most likely retire again and head back to Australia. Alfonzo McKinnie showed flashes, but he needs some work before he is a solid starter. Quinn Cook is an okay shooter, and he has been in the Warriors system since getting in the NBA, but he is not the type of player that will be a starter on a title contending team.

And then we have the whole KD situation.

Who knows what is going to happen with that. First off, he will not play at all in 2020, and not until later in 2021. He ruptured his Achilles. That is going to take awhile before he is even ready to get back on the court to even shoot a ball. Then, all the rehab after that and then he has to get back into playing shape. He has a long recovery ahead of him. Also, he may not, I don't think he will, resign with the Warriors. I still believe he is going to the Knicks. (Sorry if that gets your hopes up RD) I think they do not care that he will miss a year because they can get another high pick next year which they can flip, or take a top prospect to pair with KD. I also think the Warriors have mentally moved on from KD. All year they have heard he was leaving, he hasn't said otherwise, and I think his time is done in Oakland. I believe he will sign with the Knicks, and this will open up some cap space for Golden State to help build around Steph, Draymond and Klay, when he comes back.

This is where it gets interesting for me. I don't think any top free agents will come there for awhile now. I feel like the top guys want to pull a Kawhi and beat them. So I think guys like Jimmy Butler, the aforementioned Kwahi, Chris Paul, basically any top guy on the market is off limits to them. But, I think they can get "lower" tier guys. I wouldn't be shocked if Kemba Walker at least thinks about signing there. I think Tobias Harris would be an ideal fit next to Steph and Draymond next season. I think they could lure shooters like JJ Redick to come play for them. I'd love to see them try and sign a point guard like Patrick Beverly, to help take the load off Steph on defense. I think they can go out and get guys like that, and still be competitive.

The Warriors will not be the top team in the West next season. That much is certain. The Lakers, as much as it pains me, will be good. Denver will be better. Portland is always good. OKC has something to prove. Utah, while having trash fans, will be much better. The West is still loaded, and the Warriors will finally be on the other side, struggling for playoff position. But, for the people saying that they won't be in the playoffs, and that they're done, I disagree. This franchise is too well run, even though they completely screwed over KD, to fall off a cliff. Also, as I have mentioned many times, they still have Steph, Draymond and Kerr. There is still a very solid foundation there. While all looks lost to those on the outside, I think the Warriors will still manage to win 48-52 games, and when Klay gets back to full health, I think they will be back to being a top 4 seed.

The point is that the Warriors will still be good, just not as good as they have been for the past 5 years.

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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There Are A Lot of Winners in the Anthony Davis Trade

The Lakers finally landed Anthony Davis. After a trade demand midway through this past season, an openly flirtation with the Lakers, tampering beyond belief, Rich Paul basically getting 2 guys fired, and the Lakers offering up the majority of their young talent, the trade finally happened. Well, technically it isn't official yet, we have to wait until early July. But, both parties have an agreement that Davis will be a Laker, and the Pelicans will get Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and 3 future first round picks, including the number 4 pick in this Thursday's draft.

To me, I feel like both teams got what they wanted. If you were to tell me I had to pick a "winner" of this trade though, I would say New Orleans won, and they won it by a mile. Yes, they have to give up Davis, who when healthy is a top 3 player in the league, and pairing him with LeBron, albeit at age 35, they will make a very formidable front court. But, the Lakers had to mortgage their future for what may only be 2 years of top notch basketball. LeBron is getting older, that is just a fact. He also missed the most time of his career due to injury last year. He also looked a step slower, and his jumper, while never good, was not effective at all last year. But Davis is awesome and young. He is a force on defense, he can rebound with the best of them, his jump shot is much improved, and when engaged, or not hurt, he is nearly unstoppable. He will also be out to prove something next year.

But, unless the Lakers can get another top level guy to come over on a deal worth much less than they expect, their roster is decimated. I saw a snapshot of the roster now, and outside of LeBron and Davis, it is bleak. They were able to keep Kyle Kuzma, who was, for some unknown reason, almost the guy who was the make or break player in this deal. Sure, he is a good scorer, and he can kind of hit threes, but he is a big minus on defense, and he will now have to be the third or fourth option. I don't know if he will like that. All the guys he came in the league with too, and had befriended, they are gone. He is the lone young player on the Lakers now. They we have guys like Mo Wagner, who can't rebound or play defense, Rajon Rondo, who is about a million years old, Lance Stephenson. who should have been out of the league 2 years ago, Issac Bonga, who I know zero about, Tyson Chandler, who is older than Rondo and Alex Caruso, who looks like the dude you hate to play in your local rec league. Dare I say, the Lakers bench is worse than the Warriors bench right now. Again, this can change if they get a Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker or Jimmy Butler, but I don't see that happening. But, kudos to LeBron, Rich Paul and Anthony Davis, you whined your way to a trade to the Lakers, even if it meant destroying your future. It is now more clear than ever who runs the Lakers.

On the other hand, the Pelicans absolutely crushed this deal. They traded away a disgruntled player for 3 young guys that have certain skills they need, and first round picks for three years. They have the number one and number 4 pick in the upcoming draft. And lets say the Lakers have solid seasons the next 2 years, they will still get their pick, plus a second first rounder in the next 2 drafts. That is some Danny Ainge dealing KG and Paul Pierce to the Nets type shit. This is a homerun of a deal. I know Jrue Holiday was upset when Davis asked out, but if I were him now, I would be very excited for the future of the team. He is still there, and he is an underrated guy, plus he has all this young talent coming to play on his team. The Pelicans don't have to immediately blow it up and rebuild now. Holiday can slide over to the 2, and Ball can be the point. While I have been very tough on Ball as a player, he is a good point guard. He has great court vision, is a willing passer and plays solid defense. His shot is pure trash, but he won't need to shoot too much on this team. This may be the best thing for him too, getting himself and his dad out of LA. I still think very highly of Brandon Ingram. He is one Duke guy that I actually like. He also started to show flashes last season of what he can do. He is a long and lanky shooter. He can also get to the rim very quickly. His long stride is very good for the fast break. I bet of all the players traded yesterday he is the happiest. He looked miserable playing next to LeBron last year. Now he has a fresh start, and he will be one of the go to guys in New Orleans. Josh Hart was one of the few young guys that LeBron counted on last year. That shows maturity to me. The fact that he was willing to do what was best for the team is a trait I love in professional players. By the way, he can shoot and play defense as well. Hart will step in right away and be a solid contributor, do the little things asked of him, and I bet he will become an instant fan favorite. The Pelicans, who own the first pick, are going to take Zion on Thursday. That is the type of star power they need to replace Davis. Zion is not Davis, not yet at least, but he might be the best prospect since Davis. This kid is an amazing leaper with good passing skills and a willingness to play defense and be coached. He may not have been happy when New Orleans won the draft lottery, but if I were him now, I'd be stoked looking at this current team he's about to be on. The combo of him and Ball, especially on fast breaks, is going to be awesome. Zion will also get Ingram and Hart plenty of open looks. He will help out Holiday a ton. This is as about a perfect situation as a rookie can get. And with the fourth pick, they can go strictly based on need, and get a pretty talented player. I don't think they will get Ja Morant or RJ Barrett, and I don't see them taking a point guard like Darius Garland or Coby White due to who they acquired in the trade. But that means they can look at a guy like Jaxson Hayes, the big center from Texas. Or they can check in on DeAndre Hunter, a solid shooting 3 or 4 who plays defense. Jarrett Culver could be another option for them as a solid backup to Holiday. Brandon Clarke could be on their radar now. They can look at some overseas talent. They have, pretty much, endless options for the upcoming draft.

This was the homerun the Pelicans wanted to get with this Davis deal, and they absolutely knocked it out of the park. The Lakers should also be happy in this deal. They all got what they wanted. I will just say, I am more pumped to watch the Pelicans than the Lakers next year after this trade. They should be the more fun team to watch on League Pass.

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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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