Ty's Favorite Michigan Football Games: October 8th, 2016

We have reached Friday, and I am here to talk about Michigan football once again. I read that there may be a re-vote this weekend, that the University of Ohio State's head coach has sent a letter to the Big Ten, that a few schools have had to stop practicing due to outbreaks, that Michigan's president won't talk to Jim Harbuagh or Warde Manuel, basically the Big Ten is a total mess right now. I have no faith in there even being a vote, and I am completely resigned to there being no Michigan football this fall, or even this year. So, I am going to continue with some of my personal favorite games.

Last week I talked about when they housed MSU in East Lansing two years ago. That was a cleansing, emotional watch. That was the return of Michigan football to me. The game today is clearly vanity, and it was a game that I knew, well before it started, that Michigan was going to win. They strolled into New Jersey the night of October 8th in 2016 to play Rutgers. Michigan was the 4th ranked team in the country, Jabrill Peppers was a Heisman candidate and the offense was rolling. The defense was even better. They were shutting everyone down, and making life miserable for their opponents. Rutgers was 2-4, still hadn't won a Big Ten game in some time and were in the midst of being the punching bag they have become the past five years. This was a no brainer.

What makes this game so special, why I remember it so well, is something my dad said to me before the game kicked off. The game was at night, and October 8th just happens to be my father's birthday. So we were in the midst of celebrating his birthday, and my daughter had just turned one the day before. We actually had her birthday party on the 8th. We had it at our house with all of our friends and family over. I miss those days. The game was a night game, so we had all day to celebrate both my daughter and dad. It was a very fun day. My daughter's party was great, and then my wife took the kids home, and I was able to go watch the game at my folks house with my dad and oldest brother. He isn't as big a fan, he is more a Missouri fan, but he still likes to watch games with us. So the three of us gathered around the TV at the house, and that was when my dad said what makes this game so memorable to me. I was talking to him, we were talking about the day, and I said, "so was today a good birthday? Was it fun? What could make it better?". He responded, "it was great, but it would be even better if Michigan scored 70 points and shut out Rutgers". We both kind of laughed, Michigan never really blows teams out like that, and proceeded to watch the game.

What happened for the next three hours was an absolute massacre. Michigan blew the goddamn doors off Rutgers. It was an absolute clobbering. Michigan dominated every phase of the game from start to finish. It was so easy for Michigan that night. In the middle of the third quarter they were running simple dive plays that turned into 60 and 70 yard TD runs. Jabrill Peppers was goofing around on punt returns, which almost ended up as TD's. The defense was impenetrable. Michigan only threw the ball fifteen total times, two of which ended up as TD's. They rushed for nine TD's. Let me repeat that, NINE TD's!. That is insane. And if you are quick at math, not only did Michigan score the 70 my dad was asking for, they actually scored 78. As for shutting Rutgers out, boy did they ever. Like I said, this was the most dominant performance I have ever witnessed as a Michigan fan. When I looked back at the final stats this morning, I did a double take. I mean, I remember it being a blowout, but not the massacre on the stat sheet that I saw. Michigan had exactly 600 total offensive yards. Rutgers totaled 39. Michigan was 6-11 on third downs. Rutgers was 0-17. Michigan only threw for 119 yards. Rutgers, well, they totaled 5 passing yards. Five, singular, total passing yards. Michigan had two guys go for 100 plus rush yards, Chris Evans and Karan Higdon, and Ty Issac was close with 99. Michigan totaled 481 rush yards, which is insane. Rutgers got 34. Michigan averaged almost 9 yards a carry, and Rutgers was averaging 0.9 a carry. Not even a full yard. Of the nine total rushing TD's Michigan had that night, they spread the wealth. Higdon had two, so did Issac, as did Jabrill Peppers, getting some offensive snaps this game. A guy I don't even remember, his last name is Stevenson, you have to be very low on the depth chart for me to not know who you are, had a rushing TD. And Khalid Hill, the tight end turned goal line fullback under Harbaugh, had the other two rush TD's on two carries for two yards. Hill also had a receiving TD, as did Saint Louis' own Jehu Chesson. This was one of the rare games where I didn't bite my nails or sit on the edge of my seat or be ever the pessimist when watching Michigan football. This was as dominant as I have ever seen, and even though it was Rutgers, they are still a D-1 team with guys who were star players at their high school. This isn't like when they beat UMass a long time back 84-7. UMass was, at the time, a D-1AA school, and not a good one. Rutgers may not have been good, they may be going through a down time, but they are still a D-1 Big Ten team, and the game was at their home stadium. But, Michigan won in wonderous, and dominant fashion.

I will always remember this game because of my dad's comment beforehand. He didn't expect the outcome that night, and neither did I. We expected a win, even a big win. But for my dad to say he wanted them to score 70 and shut them out, and then to watch them score 78 and shut them out, that is why this game will always have a special place in my heart. It is a great memory of a near perfect performance from Michigan football. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty Listens to "Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was"

It has been nine years, but Bright Eyes put out a new album a week or so ago. I had read news awhile back that they were working on some new material, but I had kind of forgotten about it. Then they released a music video which I watched and enjoyed. But again, that was in early summer. I had forgotten that they were working on music.

Then one afternoon when I was out, or doing homeschooling, I don't really know anymore, the days all blend, my buddy Kirk texted to ask if I had listened to the new record yet. I hadn't, so I remedied that right that moment. I didn't know what to expect. I am a fan. I first listened to Bright Eyes when I heard the record "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning". At the time I liked slower acoustic stuff, and when they went heavy and angry, I liked it. I then devoured pretty much all of their stuff. The live record, "Motion Sickness" is a great live album. I wasn't so much into "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn". And I really, truly liked "Cassadaga" and "The People's Key". I then went back and listened to really early Bright Eyes. "Letting Off the Happiness", and mainly "Fevers and Mirrors" were revelatory for me. Then I dug into Conor Oberst' solo stuff and his work with other bands. I was, at least considered myself, a full fledged fan. I dig his writing. Yes it can be depressing, but so can so many other bands and singers and songwriters I listen to. Hell, I love the blues, and that is as sad as it gets. But as he has grown up, Oberst, he seems to have gotten a little less sad, a little less depressing. I could hear a tinge of it in "Cassadaga", I believe he wrote that record when he got clean. Then it was even more forward in "The People's Key". But coming into the new record, since it had been so long, I was intrigued. Would he go back to the anger and depression, focusing more on acoustic music? Or would he continue with his growth?

Well, "Down In the Weeds, Where the World Once Was", definitely reminds me of the more grown up Oberst. It has been nearly a decade, Oberst is now 40 years old, he has gone through a divorce, he has lost a brother, he has been accused of sexual assault, which was retracted by the accuser fairly quick after the accusation, he has been through a lot, and he has come out the other side. That is what I get from "DITWWTWOW". This is a grown up making good, accessible grown up music. It still has his touch, and that voice is so uniquely him. But still, this album has happier music, and not nearly as depressing lyrics. It can go there from time to time. "One and Done" is kind of on that track, but it still sounds happy when you get to the chorus. It is also a great closure song. It feels like he is getting all the bad stuff from past relationships off his chest. Then to follow that up with "Pan and Broom", which sounds like an 80's tune, but with Oberst's happier lyrics, I love it. I like the way the record starts too. "Dance and Sing" really gets it going. There is some nice guitar in the song. It brought me right back to 2010 when I listened to him the most. "Just Once in the World" has that acoustic sound, but it builds and builds to a great crescendo. So far "Mariana Trench" is my favorite track. It has my favorite music in it, and the chorus is catchy as hell, which shocked me coming from Oberst. I find myself humming this song a lot. I really dig "Persona Non Grata". It starts out with just Oberst and a piano, but when the drums kick in it has that classic sound. I find it comforting to hear this music and be taken back to where I was nearly 10 years ago. It also has some cool strings and horns attached, which is always a plus for me. "Tilt-A-Whirl" seems like an ode to his brother that he lost. He opens by saying that a "phantom brother came to me". The song is also sad, but sweet at the same time. It's a good one. "Forced Convalescence" is upbeat and fun, musically. Again, the lyrics can be a downer a bit, but the music works so well, and I find myself bobbing my head along when it plays.

This record is good all around. It is a cozy blanket. It is a reminder of why I started, and continued to listen to his music. Oberst is a great writer, and I think age has only made him better. He has been through and seen so much, I believe that helps him as a writer. I highly recommend this album. It is some great work. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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

Ty's 2020 NFL Preview

I have gotten some messages from various people online asking me about my NCAA and NFL previews for the upcoming year.

I stated last week that I was not going to do an NCAA football preview because this season is the most asterisk worthy season of all. There are two power 5 conferences, among many other D-1 conferences, that are postponing until winter or fall. There are a ton of major players, first round talent, that have opted out. Oklahoma's coach Lincoln Riley just stated yesterday that he will not divulge any more positive CoronaVirus cases within the team because it "poses a competitive disadvantage", which is wrong on so many levels. Two major programs, TCU and Baylor had games recently canceled for this Saturday due to positive COVID tests. This NCAA season is going to be a mess, and even though I am sure I will tune in from time to time, I will not feel good about it, and the product on the field is going to be messy. I am also certain there is going to be stops and starts, just like MLB, and as the season wears on, more guys, prominent guys, will opt out when they start seeing teammates getting sick. The NCAA is a mess, and this upcoming college football year is proof positive they have no control, and they don't care about the kids. That is my NCAA football preview. Whoever wins is not a real champion, there, I said it.

The NFL is just as bad, if not worse. They have done little to nothing to be prepared for the inevitability that is CoronaVirus wreaking havoc on this season. The NFL, and the higher ups in the NFL have just acted like they are immune to this pandemic. I'm sure they figured that things would be under some kind of control right now. Things are worse, the owners had no plan and now they are just steamrolling ahead with the season, starting this Sunday. There have been notable guys, like JJ Watt and Aaron Donald, who have said that they will not wear a mask while on the field. I checked into "Hard Knocks" on HBO the other night, and hardly anyone was wearing a mask. Well, players were not really wearing masks. Coaches had them on, but for the players it seemed like a suggestion not a rule. And there have been positive cases. As of yesterday there were five positives that were relayed to the media. Who knows how many positives there actually are, but the five they put out there were guys of no consequence. If it happens to a big name guy, things might be different right now. But, it hasn't happened to a "star" yet, so the NFL may think they are doing okay. Also, Roger Goodell was quoted yesterday saying that he wouldn't be surprised if they don't get a full 16 game season in. The NFL, like I said, had no plan, and now they are starting to hedge their bets, a few days before the season starts.

I also have very mixed feelings about the season. Sure it will be nice to see Green Bay play, but how long will they actually play? Which important player will get CoronaVirus first? How soon until half the team is on the COVID list, or they just opt out. You could insert any team into this spot too. I just picked Green Bay because they are my team. Look at the Patriots. They have something like nine guys that opted out way early on. One of the Chiefs starting O lineman opted out to go work on the frontlines in his hometown. They also had their star from the Super Bowl last year, running back Damien Williams opt out to be with his sick mother. More and more of that, I feel, is going to happen as the season wears on. How soon until someone like Patrick Maholmes or Aaron Rodgers or Lamar Jackson see guys around them getting the virus and just decide to sit? I don't think it will be that long. I think they want to play beyond just this season. We still know so little about this virus, and I feel like going out, banging and sweating and spitting and bleeding and yelling at one another on a football field is the easiest way to spread it, and start a massive second wave.

To make everything even crazier, some stadiums are thinking of allowing fans?! Are you kidding me?! That is so dumb. Anyone that goes to see a football game live this year should have to sign a waiver, spend gobs of money on the seats and be willing to deal with the repercussions. I love football. College football is my favorite sport to watch. I love doing fantasy football, I even did a draft which felt so weird and so unfulfilling compared to other years. I enjoy wasting fall weekends watching football. But this year is different. We have much bigger problems facing the country. We need new people in office. We need to find a way to quell this pandemic. We need to try and get out of this pandemic. We need to stop systemic racism. We need to defund the police. Watching football is about the one millionth most important thing right now. It needs to be way, way down the list.

If I had to guess, if someone said, tell me what will happen with the NFL this year, I would say it is going to be messy, perhaps messier than MLB. They will try and play, they have made that clear. But I feel by week four they will have to shut down for a while due to a rise in cases. Then they will come back in two weeks, play for two weeks, then have to shut down again. I think, at most, they will get all 32 teams to play twelve games at best. I think the playoffs will be weird, and not great. I think too many guys will opt out, get sick, get injured or say they are injured because this year is as risky as it gets. If I had to pick a Super Bowl, I really don't know. I would guess Kansas City from the AFC because they have the most talent and returning guys. From the NFC, hmmm, I guess I will go with, I don't know, how about the Saints. They have some solid guys, Drew Brees is still a sell out punk though.

I have zero faith in these picks at all people. It could very well be Miami and Carolina, or Washington and Denver, or even Detroit and Cincinnati in the Super Bowl simply based on how many players get sick or opt out. This season is going to be filled with problems, it will stop and start, guys will leave midway and it will just be sloppy. I hope I am proven wrong. I would love to come on this site and eat crow. But I would be terrified if I were an NFL player, especially a young guy, because this offseason has proven that the owners, GM's and the commissioner do not have a plan, nor do they truly care to have one. This is all messy, it stinks and I wish they would wait until there is some kind of slowing down before just running these guys out there.

That is my 2020 NFL preview. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Who Knew That Cold Brew Coffee and Orange Juice Would Be So Damn Good

Until I had kids I was never a coffee drinker. It was too strong without anything in it, or when I would get it all doctored up, say a frappuccino from a Starbucks like place, it was too sweet, even for me. When my wife had our son. I tried lots of things to stay awake, without going to coffee. I stuck with caffeine, but did it through diet soda, which isn't great for you. I tried Red Bull, and I still to this day think it is disgusting. I did the whole energy drink thing, and that made me too wiry, then I would inevitably crash.

Then my dad showed me how he would make coffee, for a person like me. I tend to like my hot drinks sweet, but not overly sweet. I also do not use real sugar because that sends me through the roof. He made me a brew one day, put about a tablespoon of heavy cream in it, and a packet of Splenda. I loved it. From that moment on, that was how I drank coffee for the first year of my son's life. I then decided I wanted to try different things, different drinks. I had cappuccinos, lattes, flat whites, mocha, I tried them all. I have liked most of them, there are a few that are not my favorites, but still, I consider myself a coffee drinker now. I have one cup every morning, then I usually have one in the afternoon when my wife is done with work. We have a cup and play cards. Yes I know, we are adorable.

Prior to the pandemic, my dad and I would go out once a week to new coffee places in town and try stuff out. We have found some really good places here in Saint Louis. Mokabes is great, so is Hartford. We also both really enjoy Stone Spiral and The Mud House. My dad's favorite spot so far has been Sump, and I really, really enjoy Shaw's. We just recently decided, maybe a few weeks ago, that we feel safe to go enjoy a cup of coffee together as long as the spot has an outside seating area, and we both mask up. We have had some good coffee too.

Today we went out, my kids have the day off school, a teacher development day which makes no sense to me since they are virtually learning, but whatever, and found a place called Living Room Cafe and Diner in a smaller part of Maplewood here in Saint Louis. Neither of us had been, they mentioned how the outside is the only place to sit, masks are required and the menu looked interesting. We got there and ordered, and I ordered something I would have deemed garbage eight years ago. My dad got a really good tasting decaf cold brew, I opened his cup and took a drink, no mixing of germs. What I got was pretty strange though. They call it the "Sunrise". This was a cold brew, but the bottom half had orange juice in it. Now, I was hesitant, but what sold me was what it said on the menu under the drink. It was short, sweet and simple. It read, "trust us, it is good". I was still a little confused, and kind of regretting my order, but what the hell I figured. I took my first drink and told my dad all I could taste was the coffee, which was really great on its own. He told me to mix it up, that all the orange juice was in the middle and at the bottom. I grabbed myself a disposable knife, stirred it and tasted again. It was amazing! I kid you not. It was really, really good. My dad did not want to try because he is not a fan of sweet coffee at all, but man did I love it. The orange juice brought out a sweetness that I really liked, and it gave an added citrus flavor that I never knew I was missing in my coffee. I was in coffee heaven drinking this drink. I wanted to chug it, but I took sips here and there, to really savor it, all the while saying to me dad, "this shouldn't work, but damn if it isn't delicious".

I am so glad that I decided to get the drink. The coffee at this spot was already tasty, but adding the citrus, that took it over the top. I got home a little bit ago and told my wife that it was the best coffee drink I have ever had. I do not recommend drinking it hot. I cannot imagine what hot orange juice tastes like. But if you have some cold brew, or you go buy some at a real coffee shop, not Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, and add some orange juice and ice, I bet you will enjoy it as much as I did. I am usually not a "frankenfood" guy, but this was so very delicious. I will definitely go get this again, and I am going to try and make it at home. For not being an orange juice guy, I hardly ever drink it, this was revelatory for me.

The "Sunrise" is now my favorite coffee drink I have ever had. Seriously people, go try one out, it will change you. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

A Review of the First Broadcast Hour of MTV.

On August 8th, 1981 MTV was launched, thus began the dawn of a new age in cable television. Joining TBS, HBO, and ESPN, MTV would go on to become one of the most important, and polarizing, channels in cable music history.

Recently, the first four broadcast hours of MTV was downloaded to the Internet Archive (you can watch it here). The video is old, and it is missing a few moments. Still, most of the legendary early moments of MTV are intact. Some of those early moments are iconic, some are very forgetful. I decided I wanted to go back and rate those early videos and find out if they have stood the test of time. There are three criteria I will use to rate the MTVness of that first hour.

Is the video any good?

We are obviously using late seventies/early eighties technology, so I will grade on a curve.

Is the video memorable?

Obvious one here. Do we still think of this video almost forty years later.

Did the video kill the radio star?

The 1980’s saw a rise in one hit wonders, and many people think it is because an average band had a good video on MTV. I will ask did the video elevate the song.

One last side note. I loved MTV. I still bitch about the day “Remote Control” came on and doomed my beloved channel to not being the “nothing but videos” spot on my cable box. I also tell everyone I know that I stayed up to watch the launch of MTV. Since I was six years old in August of 1981, I highly doubt I did stay up, but the legend has become reality in my mind.

Alright, let’s get to it.

12:00 AM, Eastern Standard Time August 1st, 1981

Video and audio of the Space Shuttle getting ready to launch. A countdown. Shuttle engines start. The scene switches to the launch of an Apollo rocket. Neil Armstong on the Moon. And then the words “Ladies and Gentleman, Rock and Roll. The MTV flag next to the Moonman and the iconic guitar riff that will forever be associated with Music Television. Transition right into the first video in MTV’s history.

“Video Killed the Radio Star” The Buggles

We all know this was the first video ever. I always thought it was made for the launch of MTV. I was wrong.

Any good? Absolutely. It was a video, not just concert footage. It told a story. It looked cool. Everyone was wearing shiny silver. The backing vocals had on cool glasses. It ushered in the future.

Memorable? We all know this video. The answer is yes.

Did the video kill the radio star? Yes. The Buggles eventual joined the band Yes, but their song and video for “Video Killed the Radio Star” will always be a part of history.

The first commercial on MTV is an ad for…MTV

“You Better Run” Pat Benatar

For decades I have been telling people that the second video ever on MTV was Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield”. Two things. I was wrong, and I have never ever heard of this song.

Any good? The early days of MTV was all about selling an image. Pat Benatar was one of those early images. Tight leather pants, bold lipstick, short hair, I’ll beat your ass attitude, Benatar was a pioneer in this arena when MTV was in it’s early days.

The video for “You Better Run” is mostly just the band performing, but it focuses on Pat Benatar. That is what separates this video from many others we will see in the first hour.

Memorable: Pat Benatar made much better music, and music videos, after “You Better Run”. I already mentioned “Love is a Battlefield”. This should not be in Benatar’s highlight reel.

Did video kill the radio star? Not this video. Pat Benatar was just getting ready to blow up on MTV and on the radio dial.

Now we meet the VJs (video jockeys in case you did not know). We start with Alan Hunter, then Martha Quinn, followed by JJ Jackson, Next up is Nina Blackwood, and we end with Mark Goodman boldly proclaims that MTV will do for music videos what FM did for music.

In the ad break we see commercials for a three ring binder called The Bulk, a promo for the movie “Superman II”, and then some words from Dolby Laboratories.

“She Won’t Dance with Me” Rod Stewart

Another artist who would make a name for himself in the early days of MTV, and yet another video I have absolutely no memory of.

Memorable: Obviously not. I just said I have no memory of it.

Any Good: Another performance video, but this one does show off the style and antics of Rod Stewart. It is also shot in a black room with white polka dots.

Did video kill the radio star: We all know Rod Stewart for his music, not for his music videos. There is no way “She Won’t Dance With Me” was ever going to deter the incredible career of Rod Stewart.

In the ad break is when we first see the iconic guitar smashing into a tv MTV ad.

“You Better You Bet” The Who

Love em or hate em, The Who is one of rock’s biggest acts. “You Better You Bet” is when The Who were getting away from their “Tommy” and “Quadrophenia” days and just trying to sell some records.

Memorable: The song is popular. The video? Not so much

Any Good: A straight up performance video, but it is shot in classy black and white.

Did video kill the radio star: The Who were already a global success. If anything, the laziness of the video may show that the radio star was not ready for video.

In the break, VJ Mark Goodman explains how you can mail away for a sticker to place on your stereo’s FM dial so you know where you can watch MTV on your television, and listen to the music through your stereo. We are then treated to a Mountain Dew ad followed by a plea from the Interfaith Hunger Appeal. REO Speedwagon then appears and tells you when you watch their next concert live on MTV.

“Little Susie’s on the Up” PH.D.

I have never heard of PH.D., and after doing a little research I know nothing significant about the band.

Memorable: After seeing it, yeah it is memorable because it is all over the place yet still tells it’s story of a dance competition.

Any Good: Being memorable and being good do not go hand in hand. “Little Susie’s on the Up” is exhibit one. We have piano playing, a butcher shop, hairdressers, ironing, a dance competition, snotty dancing people, and a top prize of a jar filled with olives, I think.

Did video kill the radio star: The insanity of this video is much better than the terribleness of the song.

“We Don’t Talk Anymore” Cliff Richard

I was getting ready to say that this is a no name artist left over from the AM Gold era, and a terrible video, and then I researched who is Cliff Richard. Holy crap. This guy is one of the best selling and beloved artists in British music history, and he is a knight. Sorry Cliff.

Memorable: Nope, just a guy swaying and singing with a guitar superimposed every now and then.

Any Good: The dude may be a legit superstar, but I still think the song and the video sucks.

Did video kill the radio star: Obviously not. Cliff Richard was already big by the time this snooze fest came along.

“Brass in Pocket” The Pretenders

A Hall of Fame band with a Hall of Fame video. Absolutely legendary.

Memorable: Hell yeah it’s memorable. This video shaped the way I hear the song “Brass in Pocket”. Whenever Chrissie Hynde says “special”, and the band responds with “special”, I always picture one of the guys pointing to the word special on the menu. It is so cheesy and so awesome.

Any Good: This is the best video to be shown on MTV in these early hours. It has a story you can follow and the iconic use of the special on the menu.

Did video kill the radio star: This is a great video, and it introduced many people to the awesomeness of The Pretenders, but no the video did not overshadow the music.

“Time Heals” Todd Rundgren

Music legend, and not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for some reason, Todd Rundgren sings a song while he interacts with a bunch of surrealist paintings by Dali.

Any Good: It is different. If you like different, then it is good.

Memorable: I never saw it until I started this project. I will now never forget it.

Did video kill the radio star: Todd Rundgren has never been known for his videos. He is known for being one of the most influential people in rock history. Explain to me again why he is not in the Rock Hall.

“Take it on the Run” REO Speedwagon

Side note: The video I was watching cut this music video a few seconds after it started. I do however feel like I got the spirit of the music video by those few seconds.

Concert footage from REO Speedwagon singing one of their most popular tunes of the time.

Any Good: Bland concert footage from a bland band, so no.

Memorable: Maybe if you saw the Speedwagon at a county fair, this video could bring back some memories.

Did video kill the radio star: Not this video.

In the ad break, VJ Mark Goodman once again tells us where we can get the MTV dial position sticker. This is followed by an ad for Chewels gum.

“Rockin Paradise” Styx

Dennis DeYoung is alone on stage with a player piano. DeYoung is sporting an epic fro and killer mustache. He is singing a quiet melancholy tune. And then it gets real. The rest of the band join DeYoung and proceed to rock your world.

Any Good: Basic performance video with a crazy looking Dennis DeYoung

Memorable: Not really. Outside of DeYoung, standard rock performance.

Did video kill the radio star: If you love Styx, it is not because of this video. If you do not love Styx, this video will not convince you.

In the ad break we are told that Andron is the first pheromone based fragrance and the whole family, including the dog, enjoys playing Atari.

“When Things Go Wrong” Robin Lane and the Chartbusters

The biggest hit from a band I have never heard of. A video with a story. Lady goes to a colonial town, sings towards the sea as we follow a guy go on a big ship. The end.

Any Good: At least it is not a performance or concert footage video.

Memorable: Already forgotten.

Did video kill the radio star: I think video was supposed to launch the radio star. Did not happen.

VJ Mark Goodman introduces that MTV will cover the music business in all fifty states. Up first is a report by Bob McClain on the New York homecoming of The Ramones. We are then treated by an ad for The Movie Channel. We also get our first experience of the “Don’t watch that, watch this” MTV promo.

“History Never Repeats” Split Enz

A New Zealand band that never quite made it in the states. At least they had this video which is mostly the lead singer in bed while he sings the tune.

Any Good: Not that bad. They tried to make a visually interesting piece of art.

Memorable: They really did not succeed. Split Enz seems like an early version of the alternative artists that will take over MTV in a few years. They definitely had the eighties pop pretty boy look going.

Did video kill the radio star: Like Robin and the Chartbusters, I think this video was supposed to launch Split Enz. Alas, it did not work.

“Hold on Loosely” 38 Special

A famous band performing their famous song in concert.

Any Good: Do you like the song? Come watch the band play the song in front of people.

Memorable: Concert footage of a semi famous band. You do not need to watch to enjoy the song.

Did video kill the radio star. This is not a video. 38 Special did ok with out the visual aspect of their craft.

That is the first hour of MTV. Thirteen videos, along with introduction of the concept, and the VJs. This was what MTV launched as. A mix of new artists using the new medium, and a bunch of old artists showing you their concert footage. The good thing is after hour one, I am intrigued to see what is in store for hour two. How about you?

Overall review - I WANT MY MTV.

RD

RD is the founder and Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty's Favorite Michigan Football Games: October 20th, 2018

Michigan was supposed to start their 2020 football season tomorrow. They were going to play at Washington, then that got scrapped due to the pandemic, but the Big Ten released a full new conference only schedule that had this weekend as the start, and then a few days later, they canceled all fall sports. I could go into the decision making, how messed up the Big Ten has been in their response, how the new commissioner has done a not so good job at handling all of this and how stupid it is that the "president" has been trying to get them to play, he is a god damn doofus and a nuisance. But all of that has been talked about, or I have dealt with in my own way. I'm going with what Kwity Paye said yesterday, and I am not going to read anything or get my hopes up for any new news that floats by my phone or computer. I will only believe there is a season when I see them play, be it in November, the Winter, Spring or 2021. Whatever happens happens now. They have screwed with my head and emotions far too much.

Instead of doing a full NCAA football preview, because this season is going to be very wonky, have stops and starts and be a total mess, and not very good on the field, with all the opt outs and lack of big time programs, I'm going to talk about ten of my personal favorite Michigan games. This isn't in any particular order, these are just games that I remember, games that I enjoyed watching and games that made me happy to be a Wolverines fan.

Today I am going to start with a fairly recent one. When Lloyd Carr resigned, Michigan went through a bad period. They had their worst season the very next season after Carr's resignation. Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke did way more bad than good for the team, each in their own way. And Michigan was being bullied by their rivals. They still can't find a way to compete with the University of Ohio State, but back then, Notre Dame, Minnesota and Michigan State also had their way with the Rodriguez and Hoke led teams. The Michigan State one was the toughest for me to take. They are cheaters, they play dirty, their former head coach is an asshole and they tried to rub it in how great they were. And they definitely handled Michigan with ease. Under Rodriguez, Michigan was soft, and wouldn't fight back. When they got knocked down, they let it get to them. They didn't fight back. They were not a good football team. Under Hoke, they were undisciplined and not well coached. They had so many mental errors, it was hard for them to put together a complete game.

Then Jim Harbaugh took over and brought back a sense of what it is to be a Michigan football player. He instilled the power to be tough, but be fair. He made them work. He got every inch out of the players he had, and has, and they have become a much better team. Believe me, I'd much rather complain about a ten win season than go back to not even getting a bowl game. Year one though didn't work out so great against MSU for Harbaugh. They had the win in hand, and then botched the punt, as every person who knows me always reminds me. Then they went up to East Lansing the next year, with a much better team, and won, but it was a bit too close for how good they were. Year three, they were on their third string QB, the game was in a downpour, and MSU barely won, even though they got seemingly a million turnovers. From my point of view though, I could see the tides turning. I could see that MSU's coaching and dirty tactics only worked against coaches that didn't know what they were doing, or didn't have a full plan yet. Michigan could have easily won two of those games, and they should have won all three of them.

Going into the 2018 year, with Shea Patterson at QB, Karan Higdon at running back, a solid enough O line and a monster of a defense, they were expected to win. Sure, people pointed out the record, that it was a road game against a ranked team, of which Michigan had done very poorly in recent years, and how they may be overlooking MSU that year. There were also some critics saying that Mark Dantonio was still a better coach than Harbaugh. Then we had the pregame incident. Michigan had some of their defenders out on the field warming up. When you travel you have to pick certain times for guys to go out and get loose. At this time, Devin Bush was out there. Well, Dantonio, in his ignorance and arrogance, decided he was going to line up his whole team, have them link arms and walk across the field without stopping. They did as instructed and ran into Bush. Bush, never being one to back down, yelled at them and started to scuff up the Spartan at midfield. I got home from a race that day to see it, and I was loving every second of it. It was what I was hoping I had been seeing the past three years. Michigan wasn't going to get bullied around, especially by a team that wasn't close to their talent level. The media played it up like Bush was the villain, because the media hates Harbaugh for some reason, and Bush ran with that anger and intensity on the field that afternoon. The game even had a weather delay, but it didn't matter after MSU thought they could punk Bush. He was not going to let his team down that day. The game started slow too, it was 7-7 going into halftime. But it just had the feeling that Michigan was in control. Michigan's defense was playing lights out, MSU's only score came on a trick play after a fumble by running back Chris Evans back at Michigan's 20 yard line or so. MSU was already set up in the red zone. Then, in the middle of the third quarter, Shea Patterson connected on a deep ball to Donovan Peoples Jones, who broke a tackle and walked into the end zone for a 79 yard TD. He even posed as Paul Bunyan afterward, the trophy they play for. At that exact moment I knew Michigan was going to win because I knew the defense wasn't going to give up another point. The defense bullied the Spartan offense, causing them to constantly go three and out, and holding them to next to no offensive yards in the second half. Bush was great. So was Chase Winovich and Rashan Gary and David Long and Lavert Hill. They owned the MSU offense that afternoon. Karan Higdon went for 144 yards on 33 carries. Nico Collins got one of his first TD catches. The Michigan defense only gave up 79 passing yards on 7 of 28 attempts. They gave up only 17 net rushing yards. They dominated this game from start to finish. People who read this, then look up the final score to see it was 21-7 might be confused as to why I think it was so dominant, but they didn't watch it, and I did. I soaked this game up so much. It was that turning point moment I had been waiting for, and seeing in the previous matchups. Michigan dominated that day to return Paul Bunyan to his rightful home, and they retained him last year, blowing the goddamn doors off MSU. I don't think it is a coincidence, coupled with the fact that he clearly let players get away with awful, awful things, that this game was a signal to Dantonio that his "reign" was over because Jim Harbaugh can coach some football. He saw the writing on the wall that afternoon in 2018. I hope they get to play again sometime soon, because I think Michigan is a much more talented team, and returning to regularly dominate MSU. But, I will always have this game as a reminder of when Michigan was fed up with the talk, fed up with the bullying and took back this rivalry that they absolutely should own.

October 20th, 2018 was a very, very cleansing game for me to watch. It was near perfection. 

Ty

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

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Is Steve Nash the Right Coach for the Nets?

I have some music reviews I was going to start today, but the Brooklyn Nets had to go ahead and blow my mind with the hiring of Steve Nash as their next head coach this morning.

I was stunned when I saw this. I literally thought it was a typo. I thought maybe it was a prank thing. It isn't. Steve Nash is going to be the Nets coach for the next four years, if he makes it through this contract. What was even more astonishing to me is that Jacque Vaughn, who was the interim coach, and has head coaching experience, is staying on as an assistant. He could have easily gotten a job, considering how well he did with a decimated Nets roster in Orlando, but he has chosen to stick around. I'm sure he has been guaranteed something, or one good season can springboard him to a better job, but still, pretty stunned he is hanging around.

What is more mind blowing is the Nash hiring. We have a guy, with zero head coaching experience at any level, taking over a team that has KD, Kyrie and Caris Levert, who looked like a real star in the making in the bubble. It is almost like Steve Kerr getting the Warriors job a few years back, but he was a well known commodity, and he was totally vetted, and wanted by multiple teams. I do not think the same was being said about Nash as a head coach. I know he has relationships with KD and Kyrie, and he has worked with a bunch of younger guys since retiring, almost becoming a personal trainer/coach, but he is now the guy in charge. He is going to have to draw up plays. He is going to have to juggle lineups and get the best guys on the floor in crucial moments. He is going to have to manage egos. He is going to have to deal with youth, as well as two mega stars. He has the two most wild and off the cuff stars I have ever seen to deal with. He has to, not only get them in the best basketball mood, but in the right emotional state as well. There is a ton on Nash's plate in taking this job, but maybe that is what he wants.

I do think it is a bit unfair for guys that have dedicated the past five or six years to their lives as an assistant, waiting on an opening like this, being more prepared than Nash for a team like this, and they simply got passed up for a splashy name. Also, this is clearly a pick of a head coach that is guided by the players wants than the front office. Nash wouldn't have gotten this job if KD and Kyrie didn't want him there. This was all in their hands. Kenny Atkinson was fired, unfairly I think, because Kyrie didn't like him, and I am sure he got in KD's ear about it. Atkinson was an old school, team ball guy, and that doesn't work when you have KD and Kyrie on the same team. KD and Kyrie are at that LeBron level with their team. They get the final say in most decisions that involve the team. I am sure that LeBron didn't want Frank Vogel as the head coach, but when Ty Lue passed, who I believe LeBron wanted, he was fine, as long as the Lakers were able to get Jason Kidd on the staff. I'm sure KD and Kyrie gave the Nets front office a list, told them to vet certain guys, let them in on the knowledge and they were there when the final decision was made. That is pretty much the whole reason I think Nash got the job, because Kyrie and KD like him, and they wanted him to be in Brooklyn in some capacity, even as head coach. They got their guy, and now it is time to see if he can do the job. It will be made easier because of the star power, but still, what happens if the Nets start slow? What if KD isn't fully back to being the KD we all have gotten to know? What if Nash calls a final shot for someone other than KD or Kyrie? What if the team isn't much better than this year because, outside the two stars and Levert, who will they keep, and are they any good? This team has a lot of tough decisions to make on players who are coming up on their contracts, or seeing if they are the real deal. Are they going to pay Joe Harris? Who will get more minutes at the five? I know KD and Kyrie want Deandre Jordan, but Jarrett Allen is younger and better. How will Nash deal with that? The Nets have big names, 2 of the biggest, and those guys have the guy they want as their "head coach". But, I am not so sure this was the best choice they could have made. I see way more Isiah Thomas when he took over the Pacers than what Kerr has done in Golden State with the Nash hiring.

Maybe I am wrong, maybe he will work, I like Steve Nash the person so that would be cool, but right now, I just don't see it. I think the Nets could have gotten a more seasoned assistant coach, or just stuck with Vaughn, but that is just me. This was a wild morning for the NBA and for the Nets. 

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Bill and Ted Face the Music"

For quarantine date night my wife let me choose the movie, it was my turn, and we watched "Bill and Ted Face the Music". First things first, I am a "Bill and Ted" fan. The first movie, the sequel, I truly love them both. I think they are great, they hold up and they are a ton of fun. And after a real tough week last week, I wanted to watch something that would put my mind at ease, and let me laugh for an hour and a half.

"Bill and Ted Face the Music" did just that. I truly enjoyed every single second of the movie. It was a good story, it moved with the time change pretty effortlessly, it was fun, it was funny and damn did I enjoy it. Bill and Ted may have grown up, but they are still teenage rockers at heart. They are speaking at Ted's little brother's wedding to start the movie, Ted's little brother is marrying Missy, who you may remember from the first movie, and they give a very odd speech, and then go into song. They are still searching for that one song that will save humanity, and at the wedding, they decide to play their latest chance at said song. I personally like the song, but everyone else at the wedding, except for their daughter's, is not feeling it. They think it is weird, and they all still don't believe that Bill and Ted traveled through time. Also, yes, they do each have a daughter. They are both married to the princesses from the first movie, again played by someone different, and they have had kids. The daughters are mini versions of their dad's, except they really know a ton about music. They have studied almost every form of music imaginable. The daughters are absolutely fantastic in the movie too. They are very important to the story as well. In fact, after they realize their latest song is not the song to save humanity, they are brought to the future to be told they have one day to write this epic song, that all humanity is in the palm of their hands. But, unlike "Excellent Adventure", Bill and Ted travel to the future to try and find the older versions that wrote this song. This is where a ton of hilarity ensues. The older Bill and Ted's they run into each have their own personal stuff, and every one of them they meet is worse off then the next. But, the daughters take the "Excellent Adventure" path, and they travel back in time to get together some of the greatest musicians ever to help their dad's write this song. They get Jimi Hendrix, Mozart and Louis Armstrong, among others. These actors also did a wonderful job in their portrayals. As we move through the movie, there are pieces of each of the first two movies, and they all work. We get to see the Grim Reaper again, I already talked about Missy, there is a hologram George Carlin, the phone booth is in there, and used plenty, this one has it all. They also added a few new characters, and they were awesome. Kristan Schall plays Carlin's daughter, basically playing his role. And we have a robot, who is supposed to be a killing machine, but gets a conscience somehow, and it is one of the funniest characters in the whole movie. When he reveals he has a name, and says it over and over again, it is great.

I do not want to spoil much because I think people should watch it. I also think you, if you can, see it at home and pay the premium rental price. No matter how good, or how much you want to see a movie, and you think you have to go to a theater, please don't, for your own safety. Watch this stuff at home if you can. Luckily for me, "Bill and Ted Face the Music" was, and I watched it happily and safely from the comfort of my own home. I suggest you do the same. 

Ty

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

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Let's Pump the Brakes On All This Luka Doncic Love

The NBA playoffs have been tremendous this season. The games have been awesome, for the most part, the competition is top notch, the programming and "show" of the game is great, the boycott was historical and some of the players have been so rewarding to watch.

One such player who was very good was Luka Doncic. He did some really solid offensive things. That isn't fair, he was electric, on the offensive end of the floor. I do not enjoy watching him play personally, he reminds me of a less athletic James Harden, but nonetheless, he was great. He put up big numbers, hit clutch shots, including a game winning three and basically carried the Mavericks to two wins over a very, very good Clippers team.

With all this being said, you would think with the coverage of him during the playoffs, and listening to the analytics nerds who are destroying the game though, he is the greatest player to ever play. Forget Jordan, LeBron, Bill Russell, Kareem, Magic, or any other hall of fame player, basketball didn't start until Luka Doncic played in these playoffs. It has been a bit too much. It is so much massaging of his ego. People are protecting him as if he is the current MVP and poised to win a title right now. He is not. I already mentioned that he is a very good, to great, offensive player, but he is a sieve on defense. Kawhi did not get the publicity that Doncic did, but he put up similar numbers, hit almost as many clutch shots and actually played defense. Any Clipper that Doncic was put on, for the most part, ate with ease. He really needs to work on that part before I start to memorialize his game. He also constantly complains in the refs direction when he doesn't get a call, or gets something called on him. This is the James Harden part of his game. He whines and moans and shoots far too many free throws, slowing the games down to a dull. It is boring. But again, I have heard basketball writers that I highly respect and adore, most notably Zach Lowe, singing his praises as if he is already this superstar that has won every major award and trophy in the NBA. It was bonkers after he hit that game winner, and then the Mavs went out and got absolutely wiped off the floor when they decided to try 100 percent.

The thing that irritates me most though, yes Doncic was putting up great offensive numbers, but so are Jamal Murray and Donovan Mitchell, who are playing in a much better, much closer series as we speak. And, they are both still playing. I believe they have a game seven tonight. But their numbers are similar, they both play much better defense, and their series is so much more up in the air, making their performances that much better. Doncic got all kinds of praise when he put up a triple double in a game one loss to the Clipper, meanwhile, Donovan Mitchell put up 50 plus in a game one loss, and it was a blip on the radar. Fifty plus points, and it was mentioned maybe once, compared to full segments dedicated to Doncic on Sportscenter that night. Then Murray and Mitchell both put up 50 point games, in the same game, and it was briefly spoken about on the major networks. They all showed how it hasn't happened in a long time, but then they would switch to a video of Boban and Doncic having fun and goofing with each other. I mean, Mitchell and Murray are doing historic things, and they barely get talked about. Then Murray went out in a crucial game six the other night and exploded. The Mavericks were out of the playoffs by this point, and the full focus should be on this series that is still going on, but it wasn't, unfortunately. Murray has this incredible game, puts up another 50 plus, gives one of the most moving post game interviews I have ever witnessed, and the top story on NBA twitter that night was the bright future of the Mavs. I mean Jesus Christ that is so lame, and so upsetting. No matter how much Bill Simmons and ESPN are horny for the next white super star, Mitchell and Murray are better overall players, about the same age and are on teams that are better set up for the future. They all play in the West too. And I think Kristaps Porzingis is not nearly as good as others do. I don't think he is really a superstar level guy, or a guy that can help you win a title. I'd rather have Nikola Jokic or Rudy Gobert than Porzingis. Both those guys are better, and tougher. Doncic is a very good offensive basketball player. I simply cannot deny that. But people need to realize that there are other guys, guys just as young, that are just as good, if not better. And Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray are right at the top of that list.

I'm just asking to give equal credit where it is due. 

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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Remembering Chadwick Boseman

I have never been a "2020 has been a long decade", "or boy was the month of March a long year" type guy. I am not down with any of those cliche sayings about how crummy this year has been. But, when I received a text from RD on Friday night that Chadwick Boseman had passed away, I was stunned. Then I was shocked. Then I was angry. Then, I finally said to my wife, "2020 is truly the worst year". I became a cliched saying dad in that moment.

I was so in shock at the news. My wife and I were watching our quarantine date night movie when I got the text, and we both had to stop and see for ourselves if the news was true. It was, and that was when I went from upset, to angry and finally to sad. I couldn't believe it, or maybe even more so, I didn't want to believe it. Boseman was, if not already, becoming the new big star Hollywood star, yet he was an incredibly well liked, personable and charming young man. He did work with terminally ill children. He showed up at NBA events. He was always shown with a smile on his face.

Boseman kept his personal life personal, and that is why the news of his death was such a shock. I immediately checked to see if it was CoronaVirus related, because that is the world we live in now, but it was not that. Apparently he had been battling colon cancer for four years. That means he played his most iconic character, and played some other very important roles, all the while dealing with a horrific cancer diagnosis. He was shooting "Black Panther" while going through chemo and getting surgeries. Think about that for a minute. This movie, which was already incredible, will now go down in history as an all time great, had to be pretty hard to shoot and film. Boseman had to travel and fight and act all the while dealing with cancer. I mean, if that isn't the epitome of strength, I don't know what is.

I will admit that my first Boseman movie was "42". I am a humongous Jackie Robinson fan, I wore the number 42 all the way through my baseball career, and I wanted to see if this "new" actor to me could pull this role off. He did, and it was great. I was so blown away, I kept talking to people like I was the first person to discover Chadwick Boseman. I then watched him play James Brown in "Get On Up". I was skeptical because this was the second time he was portraying a famous person, but again, he was wonderful. His performance as Brown is right up there with Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles and Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison, in fact, I'd say Boseman was better than Kilmer. I watched the movie "Draft Day" not even knowing he was in it. And when he showed up in a University of Ohio State uniform in the movie I was perturbed, but by the end, I was hoping he would be the number one overall pick. Boseman was such a great actor that he got me to root for a kid who went to the school I dislike the most, being a Michigan guy.

He did some movies in between those, most notably "Marshall" where he was excellent yet again as another famous historical figure, but then he became Black Panther. I first saw him as Black Panther in "Captain America: Civil War". He might have been the best part of that movie. I think it is a three way tie between him, Spiderman and Antman. But in "Civil War", we finally got to know Black Panther, and how awesome he is. While filming the movie he had already been diagnosed with cancer. Think about that the next time you watch it. Then came "Black Panther" two years later, even deeper into his treatment. That movie is amazing. RD and I did a whole podcast on its importance to pop culture. It is one of the most visually beautiful movies I've ever watched. We finally got a superhero who wasn't white. Women were given much bigger roles in that movie. It has the best villain to ever appear on screen. "Black Panther" is a classic, and Boseman was front and center and just being perfect in every single way in that movie. The same can be said for "Infinity War" and even more in "End Game". When he came out of that portal in "Endgame", the first one out, it was so enthralling as a movie goer. It still gives me chills. Black Panther pushed his way to the top of super heroes for me, behind only Wolverine. He is so cool. And the last movie I saw him in was "Da 5 Bloods". Again, RD and I talked about that movie as well on a different podcast, I even recall saying that Boseman needed a bigger role, but now knowing what I know, it makes sense why he took on the role of Stormin Norman. The man was fatally ill, yet he gave us some of the most moving movie moments in 2020 in that movie. His speeches and story in "Da 5 Bloods" is all the more riveting now. All in all though,

Boseman, while being a great actor, was a better person. I mentioned all the great things at the top that he did, but he also did so much more. He became that superhero that some kids never had but always wanted. The roles he took on near the end of his life make sense now. He never let the spotlight shine on his illness. He made movies that will go down in history while he was terminally ill. He did things for people that they will cherish and remember forever. The fact that he was who he was off screen makes this so much harder to digest. Why him? Why does someone who is so selfless, caring, fun, nice and talented have to be taken away from us so young? He was 43 years old. That is only six years older than me. He has a wife that he leaves behind. I don't know if he has any children, but again, that is because he was able to keep his personal life personal. He does have throws and throws of young kids, my son included, who look up to Black Panther, and will forever.

This isn't fair. Chadwick Boseman did not deserve this. He was too good a person. He was someone we need now more than ever. He would help unite us and bring us to a better place. This hurts, and it is going to hurt for a long time. I have already watched "Black Panther" twice, and I watched "42" the other day, and I still can't believe he is gone. I was a slobbering mess during the ABC special last night. This is devastating news in an already historically horrific year. I wish he were still here, I wish I could see him in another "Black Panther" movie, but he was so unfairly taken away from all of us so young, too young.

Rest in Peace Chadwick Boseman. You will be forever remembered, but this is going to hurt for some time. What a horrible tragedy. 

Ty

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

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We Need New Leadership

It would feel odd if I didn't finish out this week with some kind of political and social piece. I will get back to the more pop culture stuff next week, but this week has been a historic one. I talked about the boycott, I talked about the shooting of another unarmed black man and I have talked about how this seems to be a moment, or at least the beginning of a moment, in the US.

There is something, hopefully, happening right now. People are fed up. People are sick and tired. People want change. Everyone wants equal rights. The time has come for an uprising, and a removal of racist assholes in positions of power. There has been so much civil unrest since the goblin that resides in the White House took office almost four years ago. It has all been bad. He has emboldened racists and fascists and, quite frankly, mentally unstable people. We are in the midst of a seemingly never ending pandemic. People have seemed to just push that aside. We have unemployment rates as bad as they have ever been. There are so many more problems where we sit today than there were five years ago on the exact same day. The US is a mess. The country is divided. Things are just awful. There are days I do not want to get out of bed because I am fearful for what the day will hold. My kids are currently learning virtually. This is all messed up.

We need to change. We need to get out and vote these monsters out of power. We need to be proactive and tell these monsters that enough is enough. Look, Joe Biden wasn't my first choice either. I am a dyed in the wool Democrat. I will always vote blue. But I was on the Beto train at first, then I jumped on the Warren train and then I was all in for Bernie. They didn't get the nomination, and I know that frustrates a lot of people who don't follow one particular political party. And, as I said, Biden wasn't even in my top five of choices. But then he picked Kamala Harris as his running mate, and I have watched him and her speak, and I am ready to run through the wall to vote for them. Change takes time. The country is going to be a two party system no matter what we do at the moment. So, I implore people to vote for Biden and Harris, even if they weren't your tenth choice. As my wife said the other day, "this is truly an election where we pick the lesser of two evils". I couldn't agree more. Go out and vote to get Biden and Harris in the White House. They will, at the very least, level things out. And during their time in office, the people who want there to be more than two political parties, go out and pound the pavement and do all you can to make this more than a two party system. But now, or in November at least, we need to do the right thing. We need Biden and Harris to win. We need them in the office.

I cannot imagine how much worse the next four years could be if the people currently in office stay there. They have shown no signs that they believe in science, that they care about anyone other than themselves, that they care about people that don't look like them, that they have a soul, it is all very, very frightening. I am truly scared what the US will look like if we get four more years of this nonsense. I don't know that it will ever be the same, but Biden and Harris have shown that they listen to scientists. They have talked about mandating masks throughout the country. They both clearly have empathy and souls and are willing to talk and, more importantly, listen to people of other races. We need to go out in record numbers and vote these monsters out. We need to show them that they cannot, will not, steal another election from the people. I'm sick of them acting like the CoronaVirus is gone. I'm sick of them claiming that people are safe. We are as far from safe as we have ever been, at least in my lifetime. And I'm sick of all the other lies and hatred and rhetoric and fear mongering that these scumbags have perpetuated over these last four years.

It is time to lead. Let's keep with this momentum. Let's continue to stick with one another and demand change. Let's get all the criminals out of the White House that are there right now. Please, I implore and beg you, vote in November. And if you are on the fence, or upset that it wasn't your pick, just take a look at where we are as a country right now and think about if you want four more years of this. Your vote is your vote, I just hope it is used for the right reasons this time. Please, please let's make some changes. 

Ty

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

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Thank You for Not Sticking to Sports

Yesterday was a day that will go down in the history books. I talked about Jacob Blake, the systemic racism in the police department in the US, the hate speech being spewed on the internet and that there was talk of a possible boycott in the NBA playoffs.

Well, the boycott happened. The Bucks refused to come out of the locker room prior to the start of their game 5 matchup with the Magic. The Magic were on the floor warming up, but when they realized what was happening, they left the court and joined the boycott. Three O'Clock came and went, and the Bucks decided it was in their best interest to take a stand. The Magic joined them. Then the Rockets and Thunder decided to boycott their game later in the day, with the Trailblazers and Lakers ready to follow. Before the Lakers and Trailblazers could officially boycott their game, the NBA canceled the rest of the night's slate.

This is historic. Something like this hasn't happened since Bill Russell was playing in the league, and that protest was during a preseason game. The fact that these players, these young men, had the fortitude and the wherewithal to do what they did is simply amazing. I was never more proud to be an NBA fan than I was last night when the boycott started. I was so thrilled that the players were taking a stand against racism, I loved that it was the Bucks since Blake was shot in Wisconsin and I am so pleased that every other player stood with them in this historic moment. There were no dissenters. This was an all for one type thing. And to see everyone come together was so moving and so very important. Then to see Kenny Smith walk off set in solidarity, to see all the tweets from stars and role players, to see Jim Jackson and Chris Webber speak so eloquently and passionately, to see Rachel Nichols, Jay Williams, Marc Spears and Kendrick Perkins all touch on why this is so important, I was stunned in the best way possible.

This was exactly what needed to happen. Just like Chris Webber said, "if not now, during a pandemic, then when". It is awesome. To see young millionaires, mostly African Americans, stand up for what they so rightfully deserve is so moving. Everybody should be treated equally. We all should have the same rights. We shouldn't judge people by the color of their skin. Unfortunately though, we still have monstrous people, especially in the police department, who don't see the world that way. They think they are better and more deserving. They think they have some sort of power that they certainly do not. They are emboldened by the monster that currently resides in the White House. This is a problem, and the NBA, and please do not let me forget the WNBA, what they did was truly astounding and powerful, wearing the shirts with Blake's name on it, and seven red dots on the back for the shots, that was amazing. To see them stand up for what they believe in, to stand together, to say screw it, we want equal rights, the rights afforded to everyone else, it was incredible. I told my son about all of this this morning. I explained to him why there was no basketball last night, and why this was a good thing. I told him that when he is older, he will read about this in history books. This story will be told for generations. My wife compared it to our generation learning about the 60's and 70's. This boycott, the BLM movement, the protests, this is all akin to Kent State and Watergate. This is a shift. This is a moment. And after the NBA boycotted, and the WNBA boycotted, the Brewers decided to not play their game, then a young tennis star decided to not play her match, then a bunch of football teams canceled practices yesterday and today to hold meetings about systemic racism.

We need more of this. We need more pro athletes standing up to their owners and to the "government". I can go protest all I want and make petitions to defund the police, but I won't get a sniff. I am a regular suburban dad. But people like LeBron James and Giannis Antentekoumpo, Chris Paul, Christian Yelich, any famous football player, they can get to their owners, who can get to people in charge and get in their ears. And while I know that finishing the season was on the verge last night, even going as far as the Clippers and Lakers voting to end the season then and there, the NBA did decide to finish. I don't fully know how I feel about that yet, but I do think they can still use this platform to continue to get messages out there to people who need to hear it. But this is historic. This is important. This is something that will go down in history. This is going to be remembered and talked about forever.

Again, I have always loved the NBA, and I always will, but last night that went to a whole other level. I am so impressed and so on board with whatever they decide to do, and I will follow them wherever they go. Hopefully this means a change is starting to happen. Hopefully, this starts a real movement. 

Ty

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

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His Name is Jacob Blake

Another black man was shot, multiple times, by white police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin a few days ago. His name is Jacob Blake, and as I write this, he is in a hospital on life support. Blake was simply walking into his car when the white officers opened fire on him. They shot him in the back seven times. This is madness.

This has to stop. The police need to be defunded. The police need most of their power stripped away from them. The powers that be need to stop normalizing this, and this needs to be addressed. This is a serious problem in our country. There is systemic racism that is being hyper perpetuated by white police officers. The "government" has shown zero progress in making changes, in showing sympathy and trying to understand why this is happening more and more lately. The "government" and the "president" are racists, fascists and they don't care about people that aren't directly involved with them. It's disturbing that this continues to happen and that there is no end in sight. We need to make changes. We need people that actually care and we need people that will do their best to end this.

I also saw a story that some NBA players are contemplating a boycott to the start of the playoffs until something, anything, happens to the white police officers that are constantly gunning down unarmed and innocent black people. They, along with a good portion of the rest of the country, want these murderers, these monsters to be reprimanded and dealt with like the horrible people they are. I agree with the players who are thinking about doing this. They are seeing this all too often, they are young black men, mostly, that have children. They look at other people who have been brutally murdered, George Floyd, Tamir Rice, Philando Castille, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and now possibly Jacob Blake, and they are thinking, enough is enough. They are also trying to send a real message. I have talked about how well the NBA restart has gone, and how it is amazing that the players are using their media availability to talk about systemic racism and what they think needs to change. Chris Paul, after OKC had a great comeback win, was doing his on court after the game interview, and all he talked about was Blake and trying to implore people to go out and vote. That is amazing. Paul George, LeBron James and many others have talked endlessly about Breonna Taylor. Donovan Mitchell hopped on Twitter and gave an impassioned tweet about all the awfulness. And last night after the Clippers win, Doc Rivers gave one of the most moving speeches I have ever heard from anyone anywhere ever in my life. It was incredible. But still, black people are being killed for no reason by white police officers. This is still happening. And when I read some of the comments under the article about a possible boycott, it made me sick to my stomach how awful and rude and ignorant and mean and stupid and spiteful and hateful random idiots on the internet can get. It is truly a disgusting place, the comment section on any website. This stuff that was being written by some of the biggest monsters in the world, who hide behind screen names by the way, is truly horrifying.

Enough is enough. Changes need to happen. And if a boycott to an NBA playoff game, or series, is the catalyst, I say great. We need to wake up and stop the systemic racism in this country. We need better people in positions of power and we need to heal as a country and stop killing innocent black people. This is too much, and I fear it will only get worse. BLACK LIVES MATTER. 

Ed note: Since this was written, the NBA has announced that all games are being postponed on Wednesday.

Ty

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

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The Process Will Continue without Brett Brown Coaching the 76ers

I had an idea to keep an up to date detail of how online virtual school is going, but I decided that I will do that more periodically, giving people a break from all of that. Most of us are living it, so we know what is going on. But, I'd still like to chime in every now and then to keep people updated. Instead, I'll do that, but I will mostly stick to pop culture and sports, and even sometimes get political.

Today we have a whopper, well to some, of a story from the NBA. The 76ers finally pulled the plug and let go of Brett Brown. I think there is a lot more change to come, like the front office and roster, but I want to solely talk about Brown today.

Bret Brown really had no shot unless the 76ers won, or even maybe made, the Finals. This was the year that they were supposed to take the leap. I picked them to be in the Finals, and I know a good amount of other sports writers did as well, mainly Zach Lowe. He is the guy I read consistently, and his take on them before the season made me a believer. Welp, that most definitely didn't happen this year. Lowe said, and I agreed, that the heartbreak against the Raptors last year, the Kawhi shot, was just what they needed to get that hunger up to make a push. Then we had all the stories about Embiid being in great shape, how he wanted to win MVP, which he was my preseason pick, and Defensive Player of the Year. There were also rumors that Ben Simmons was shooting threes, they signed Tobias Harris and traded Jimmy Butler, thus getting the "bad guy" out of the locker room, and their final move was to sign Al Horford. They were going against the grain of the modern game, with shooting everywhere, and they were going to go big and punish teams. They were going to be the modern day Bad Boys, only much, much bigger. Again, that did not really happen. Tobias Harris, while good, is not worth the max contract he got. He's a good shooter, but not a three point shooter by any means. He is also kind of soft. He is a fun guy, a player I like, a decent player, but not a superstar. They didn't get nearly enough for Butler in the trade that sent him to Miami, and they clearly needed his determination in that locker room more so than having a nice guy. Butler may be an asshole, he may rub people the wrong way and fight with staff, but the dude is always part of a tough winning culture. The front office, and from what I have heard lately, Brett Brown made a poor decision in picking Harris over Butler. Al Horford was an absolute zero for them. He did not bring them anything they were hoping for. He was the Embiid stopper,, but now they are teammates. What good does that do? He can't really stop a guy when he plays with that guy. And while Horford is a solid player, he is too old, too slow and is being paid way too much money. They need to try and find a trade partner, but it will be very hard with that contract.

Simmons, well, he simply chose to not shoot threes. He took a few, but nothing like people were saying in the offseason. And even during the restart he was hesitant, and then he got hurt. He also looked way less engaged in the bubble. Is this because of the coaching, or can he not really shoot? I think it is the former. Again, I have heard people say that Simmons was on a very long leash, and Brown was never going to really call him out on anything. Sure, he had some veiled stuff through the media, but nothing like talking face to face with him.

Then we have Embiid. He is a great player. He is a dominant force on offense, an excellent rebounder, can shoot from deep and can lock down other bigs on defense, when he is engaged. He is never really fully engaged, and that is a combo of coaching and the player. Joel Embiid only really showed out when people on TV called him out. Charles Barkley and Shaq go at him, he has a great game. The All Star game happens, he is front and center and he is getting all the touches at the end, he looks other worldly. But more often than not, he just kind of came and went all year. He also openly opined for Jimmy Butler and just couldn't put together enough good stretches. He was way, way too inconsistent.

Finally we have Brett Brown. Brown went through some shit man. He was there at the beginning of the "process". He coached a team that won only ten games. He dealt with the former front office offloading young talent for worse, and younger, talent. Then when the team got better, and healthier, he made some waves, but nothing that this team, as constructed could have done. I don't fully blame Brown, but a better coach would have done a better job with this roster. Brown was good at coaching young talent, molding them and teaching them how to play in the NBA. But, he couldn't coach the stars. When his players got big, they didn't fully respect his voice, and they basically laughed at his way of laying down the law. He didn't have their trust, he couldn't get this team over the top and he couldn't coach up "star" players. He also let the front office get rid of way too much outside shooting talent to have this "all bigs" lineup, that didn't work. Brown is a solid coach who may get another gig, but it won't be with a contender. He will have to settle for another rebuilding project, and I don't know if he has that in him if the same thing happens wherever that may be that just happened in Philly.

The 76ers need to get a solid coach, with respect to get this team over the top, but they also need to revamp the roster to fit with Simmons and Embiid. We all knew the Brown firing was coming, so it isn't a surprise. But still, he coached a team with real talent, and they couldn't even get out of the first round of the playoffs. The time had come. 

Ty

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

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The First Day of Online School in the Age of COVID-19

Today was my kids first day of "School". I put it in quotes because they were both at home during what would have been a day at an actual building. I have written about my feelings on the upcoming school year, and since that time, things have changed.

Before I go into this, I still am hopeful that at some point this year it will be safe enough for my kids to be in class in person with their friends and teachers because they very much need the socialization, but I understand why our school district, and many others, have opted to do fully virtual to start the year. We have had far, far too many CoronaVirus outbreaks when people get together in big settings and do not follow the proper safety protocols. Hell, look at what has happened in Georgia, and all around college campuses right now. This virus is still raging, and when we don't respect it, it seems to come at us harder. So, while about a month ago I wanted my kids to be in school full time, I get why this change was made. It is the safe, and smart thing to do at the current moment.

And, for the most part, the day went okay. There were hiccups, and that was expected. My daughter's first Zoom of the day for preschool, her screen completely froze. We couldn't get back on, and after about a ten minute delay, we had to use my phone for the rest of her meetings. It doesn't seem like a huge deal, but my phone is small, it has cracks in it and it isn't as fast as the computer. But we made it work, and most likely will have to do the same the rest of the week until we get her computer back up to speed. My son also experienced some delays in Zoom meetings, and other parents said their kids dealt with the same. He missed the first ten minutes of his Strings class today, but he was able to catch up pretty quickly, he is a smart little dude.

Outside the technical stuff, the only other real "problem" I had with the kids was boredom. My son wanted to go ahead in his workbook, but the teachers have enforced a strict no reading ahead policy, which we will abide by. My daughter had three different Zoom's, and in between each one, her and I would do the lesson, but we would finish it within twenty minutes. That left us with another forty minutes of doing the same thing over and over again. She got quite frustrated a few times at me. But again, this was to be expected.

I do want to shout out how well the rest of the day went though. Both kids logged on at 8:30am, and they had work to do until their day was done. My daughter had her meetings and lessons, and she was, for the most part, engaged in the material for her three hours. My son's first Zoom was over an hour long, and he looked exhausted afterward. I asked why, and he said because there was a lot of information. That is what I was hoping for with this virtual learning experience. He also had meetings, or assignments or recess, walking the dogs, and other basics all the way up until about 3pm. He was busy all day, and that is a good thing for him.

When both of their days were over the consensus was, it was good, but weird. They both said they want to go back to their classroom. My son misses his friends and my daughter adores her preschool teacher, and she misses her. But, they both had enough work to fill the day, they were both in the safest place they could be at the time, they're both tired, they both dressed as if they were going to a school building. We made it as close to school as we could, my wife and I that is. So, while I still want the kids to be able to go back to a brick and mortar building, to be with kids their age, to learn from people who are trained in teaching kids their age, this first day went fairly well. We have nine more weeks before the school district reassess their plan, and while I think they won't be going back until after the new year, maybe in the second semester, this first day was fine. Let's just hope it stays this way. The teachers and the district need to keep this momentum until they are able to do the job the way it is intended. But for now, my hat is off.

A good, but stressful, first day of school here in Saint Louis. But above all, a safe first day of school. 

Ty

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

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The Timberwolves Should Trade the Number One Pick

The Minnesota Timberwolves won the draft lottery last night.

I am happy for them, their fans and management. Unfortunately though, I don’t see a player that is worth that spot, especially for the Timberwolves. They traded for their point guard for the near future when they got D’Angelo Russell. They got rid of Andrew Wiggins in that deal too, which they were hoping to do. They have their modern big man for the future in Karl Anthony Towns. He’s amazing on offense, he’s a great rebounder and if he tries, he can play defense. They got their perimeter defender and, hopefully for them, future spot up three point shooter in last year’s draft when they took Jarrett Culver. They also have solid bench scorers in Malik Beasley and James Johnson. I think Josh Okogie can still be a solid bench guy, Juancho Hernangonez needs some real minutes and Naz Reid definitely showed flashes after being undrafted. I feel like the Timberwolves have an okay, and very, very young roster. I also think KAT is going to be a man on a mission next year after losing his mom to Covid. I think he’s going to have a monster year.

Then when I look at this draft class, the top guys just don’t jump out to me. LaMelo Ball is a talker version of his brother. James Wiseman is so skinny, even though he is my favorite prospect. Obi Toppin plays the same position as KAT, and is he a one year wonder perhaps? I know nothing about the overseas guys except Ball. Who knows about all the freshman that declared. And while Anthony Edwards is a great, great scorer, he has to be ready to go and go hard every night if he’s the number one overall pick. There’s no nights off. He also plays a similar position to Culver, and he’s not as good on defense. Not a lot of good choices for Minnesota.

If I were Minnesota I’d be doing everything in my power to trade the pick for a proven veteran, or if they can, a higher echelon player to team with Russell and KAT. They could try some of the other lottery teams. Maybe they can get Blake Griffin, even with all his injury history I think him and KAT would be awesome together, from Detroit. They could swap picks and Griffin, or even just the pick for Griffin. Maybe Chicago would be willing to part with Lauri Markanen, or send Zach Lavine back and build around Coby White and whoever they take number one. They’re clearly rebuilding anyway. Cleveland is less likely to give up on a guy like Collin Sexton or Darius Garland, but maybe another reunion sending Kevin Love back to team up with KAT, and they can get a younger big at number one. I’d even entertain some kind of idea involving Atlanta and John Collins and Kevin Huerter. The Timberwolves have options. There is no Zion or LeBron in this draft. Hell, there’s no Kyrie or KD or Anthony Davis in this class. There is no transcendent player. There’s no one that is a franchise guy, at least on paper.

My opinion? I think Minnesota would be better off trading out of that top spot. They have power, they have the top overall choice and they have options. I think they’d be best off exploring all of them instead of just sitting on this pick. We shall see.

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 Covidiots are Now Attacking a College Football QB

Earlier today an incoming freshman QB at Georgia State said he is sitting out the 2020 season due to a heart issue he has from his recovery from Covid 19. Well, he didn't particularly say that the heart issue was from Covid, but he just recovered from CoronaVirus, he has a heart thing, heart issues have been linked to this disease, so I put two and two together basically. But, he isn't the top QB recruit in the country, he isn't even the starter, but he is a QB who is opting out in a conference that is going forward with a fall season.

This may not seem like a big deal, but it is. Other, bigger named players have opted out, guys that will be first round NFL picks, but none of them have been a QB, and definitely not a QB from a conference that is playing, and not a player from the South. But, he has a heart thing, Georgia is getting crushed right now with new cases, high schools have had to be shut down after being opened and it seems like the responsible thing for him to do. When I saw the news I thought it was a reasonable decision and thought he may be the first QB, but he definitely won't be the last. I then decided to read the story as to why he chose to opt out, and it said all the stuff I just listed above essentially.

Then, for some unknowing, and stupid reason, decided to check out the comment section on the story. I was wrong to do this, and I highly recommend no one else does. It was rough. Well, not at first. At first most people were saying that they hoped the kid would get better, they said he was making the right choice, they supported him, his team supported him, it was all good for about twelve-fifteen comments. Then the insipidness started. Then the fights started. Then the attacks started, and man was it rough. People crushed this kid, his school, other people's political beliefs, it was bad. Then we had the people calling this pandemic a "hoax". We had the people who kept spouting off the phrase, "it's just like the flu". Others said, "he is a young, athletic kid, he should just play, he's already recovered from the virus". It was bad and hurtful and dangerous and stupid. This kid made a choice, he is an adult and he is doing what he thinks is best for his future. Why do others feel the need to attack him? Why call him names? Why bad mouth him and his choice? That is unfair to him and his family. The commentators online are hiding behind screen names and trashing a kid they have never met. That is no good. The trashing of the school is so childish and pointless too. I don't watch Georgia State games, but I also don't watch Georgia or Alabama or Missouri or Texas or a myriad of other teams play. Does that give me the right to bad mouth those schools? Absolutely not. And I don't. I only watch Big 10 games unless the game is a very important one, like last year's CFP title game. So while some may not think GSU is any good, they have fans who are probably bummed this kid is sitting out this year. Your team isn't the only team that matters. There are over 120 D-1 schools, all of which have alumni and fans. It is scary that it has become a political thing mostly though. This disease doesn't care where you fall in your political beliefs, just like any other virus or disease. And this one is particularly dangerous because we know so little about it still. So for "fans" to talk politics in an article about this kid opting out for the year, they need to get a hold of themselves and calm the hell down. He made his choice, there is nothing political about it, and people should be ashamed of themselves for trying to skew it that way. I hope this kid gets better, I hope he can fully recover and play football again, if that is what he wants to do and I wish people weren't so god damn hurtful on the internet.

Look, the world is crazy enough, we don't need anymore psychopaths yelling at a teenager with a heart issue for taking a year of football off. We should be applauding his very adult decision. 

Ty

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

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Ty Listens to the "Zack to the Future" Podcast

Today I come to you with a new podcast recommendation. Obviously the X Millennial Man podcast is the best out there, but I do listen to other pods.

It’s no secret that RD and I used to enjoy “Saved by the Bell”. We enjoyed it unironically too. We had days where we wore Zubaz pants, we watched the blocks on TNT and TBS and I have been on this very site praising April Richardson’s old podcast “Go Bayside”. It was, keyword was, the best “SBTB” podcast out there until three weeks ago.

In that time there has been a new podcast focused on “SBTB” called “Zack to the Future”. “Go Bayside” will always hold a very special place in my heart, but “Zack to the Future” has host Dashiell Driscoll, you may know him from Funny or Die’s “Zack Morris is Trash”, which is phenomenal, and the cohost is the very Zack Morris himself, Mark-Paul Gosselaar. This is a humongous deal for all the “SBTB” fans out there, which there are so, so many. To get these two to talk about this show is simply amazing. Driscoll is a self described super fan. He created a whole web series. He says he’s seen every episode. He is a writer on the new show they’re doing for “SBTB”. He is very informed, knows the material extremely well and has a great way of hosting a podcast. Then we have Gosselaar, who plays the main guy, the one we all grew up with, cheered for, then rooted against when we all grew up, as the cohost. Also, he says he’s never seen an episode ever. At first I didn’t believe him, but after three episodes, it’s obvious he has never watched this show. He explains that he doesn’t like to watch his performances, and I get that. I don’t listen to pods I’ve been on. I don’t watch TV stories that I’ve been on. I don’t read newspaper articles where I’ve been interviewed. I know what I said and did, and that’s how Gosselaar describes it. It makes sense.

The purpose of this pod, Driscoll has Gosselaar watch an episode, then they talk about it, they break it all down. It’s fantastic to hear Gosselaar talk about what he remembers and what he doesn’t. He gives real insight as to what it was like as a child actor, and a very famous one at that. He’s incredibly humble, and I adore hearing him poke fun at his character of Zack. I also like hearing him talk about how bad of a person Zack is. I also enjoy hearing all the inside baseball talk that Gosselaar gives the listener. There’s so many things that went into this tiny teen comedy shown on Saturday mornings. It’s truly wild. It’s also helps that Gosselaar is the cohost because he gets great guests for the show. Elizabeth Berkeley was on the first episode. I know Tiffani Amber Thiessen will be on later because I heard her voice in a preview. I’m sure he will also get some other big time names to interview for this great, great new show.

This is really a perfect podcast given our current climate. There’s a new “SBTB” show coming out, but we are all home, or should be, and I know I’ve gone back and watched some “SBTB” when I have free time. Now I go and watch the episodes they are going to talk about in the upcoming podcast. We have time to binge, we can do our “homework” as they call it and we can relate to the conversation.

So far this podcast has been great, it’s a great distraction in the best possible way and I love everything about it. The stories, the memories, the hosts, the guests, it is all wonderful. I cannot recommend “Zack to the Future” enough, especially for fans of “SBTB”. It really is the perfect retrospective of a show that had stayed with all of us for a very, very long time. Check it out.

Ty

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

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Damian Lillard is the Better Version of Allen Iverson

Today since we are at the start of the playoffs, and the Trailblazers are playing in prime time, I want to talk about Damian Lillard.

Yesterday I said he is the modern day Allen Iverson, and I want to expand on that a bit more. Lillard is built like him, he’s an offensive force like him, he doesn’t care who’s in front trying to guard him, he’s ended playoff series, and if he wasn’t on a team in the West, he’d be a perennial MVP candidate. Lillard is the best scorer in the game right now. Take all the players in the league, even the injured guys, and I’d take Lillard if I needed one shot. He’s proven he can do that multiple times. He did it to the Rockets a few years back in a playoff series. He did it to the Thunder, with Paul George guarding him last year. He gets buckets and comes up big in the biggest moments. That all reminds me of AI. Iverson and Lillard are built the same too. They’re both barely 6 feet tall. Both strong, but skinny. Both point guards. And both are fearless. And just like Lillard, Iverson was the best pound for pound scorer when he was at his peak. He carried the 76ers teams he was on to Finals. He won a game over the vaunted Kobe and Shaq led Lakers in Staples Center. This is all akin to what Lillard is doing right now.

Now, what I say next might be sacrilege, or bring a prisoner of the moment, but I actually think, overall, Lillard is a better basketball player. He does all the things that AI did, albeit in a softer NBA geared towards scorers, but he is lethal from outside. AI had the crossover and the ability to get to the rim with shocking ease, but his jumper was never the one thing the defense worried about. Lillard is the second best shooter in the league behind only Steph Curry. You have to guard Lillard the moment he steps across half court because he’s liable to pull up from the logo and drain it. That’s no offense to AI either, but he never had that in his game. Lillard is also as good at getting to the basket and getting free throws. He has the full arsenal. And while Iverson was a rocket to the hoop, had the crossover and played with reckless abandon, he never had the jumper that Lillard has. Lillard also attempts to play defense. He may not be the best, he may get hunted in pick and rolls, but he still goes on that end. He’s good at getting steaks and strips too. Iverson had to assert himself so much offensively, he didn’t always have the energy to play defense to the best of his ability. Lillard at least attempts to. And this isn’t to knock Iverson. He’s one of my all time favorite players. I grew up cheering for him as if he played for the Sonics. I love AI. He is one of the greats. But for me, for my money, if you’re asking me who is a better overall player, I’d take Lillard. It’s close. But the fact that he tries on defense, and that he has incredible range gives him the nod for me. AI is great, a hall of fame player, and well deserved. But in the end, when Lillard is done playing, I think he goes down as the better overall guy.

That’s just my opinion.

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 Picks the NBA Bubble Playoffs

The NBA playoffs start today. In fact, I am writing this while I watch the first game of the day between the Nuggets and Jazz. This is crazy that the playoffs are just starting now, but hey, it is playoff basketball and I am stoked. I am going to do my final NBA playoff preview and picks today. So far the NBA has been doing this whole "bubble" thing right, and here's hoping they get to finish this off on scheduled time.

I will start with the East because it truly is the JV. The one seed is the Bucks. They are facing the 8th seeded Magic. This series is going to be a total wash. I know the Bucks haven't looked great in the bubble, but they are now, finally, going to be playing games that truly mean something. I heard someone on a pod say that the Bucks haven't played an important game in almost six months, and that is 100 percent true. They are going to raise their level, play like they did before the shutdown and Giannis is going to dominate. No disrespect to the Magic, but they just cannot hang with Milwaukee. They are too young, too thin and cannot score from three enough. Bucks will sweep.

The 2-7 matchup is Toronto, the defending champs, and the haggard lineup that is the Nets right now. That being said, the Nets have played fine in the bubble, and Caris Levert has looked tremendous. He is becoming a solid player that could be the third guy when KD and Kyrie come back next season. But, besides Joe Harris and Jarrett Allen, the Nets are super duper thin, and their bench is trash. The Raptors on the other hand are, maybe, the deepest team in the league, they have everyone back from last year except Kawhi and they are all about business. They don't mess around, they don't play games and they are in Orlando to handle things. They also play phenomenal defense. The Raptors are going to sweep, and after they do people will start to talk about how they have the mettle to repeat. They are a damn good team.

The 3-6 features Boston and Philadelphia. This series would be so much more fun if Ben Simmons were healthy, and if Joel Embiid went 100 percent every night. They don't have Simmons, Embiid has been in and out of the lineup in the bubble and they have not looked great. I really wanted the 76ers to take that leap this year, but they have been extremely underwhelming, and that was even before the suspension of the season. I would love to see them prove me wrong and beat Boston, but the Celtics have looked really good right now. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been dominant, no one on the 76ers can guard them and they will eat them up from the perimeter. Boston is a better, more prepared team right now. Celtics in five.

The 4-5 is going to be fun with Miami and Indiana. But, if the previous game, where Butler shut down a red hot TJ Warren, it may be a wash. Indiana isn't at full health, the Heat have been goofing around during the seeding games and they just look too damn good to be beaten by the Pacers right now. Warren has cooled off, Victor Oladipo is still working his way back, Myles Turner hasn't taken over like many hoped and Damontas Sabonis is still hurt. The Warren Butler matchup will be fun, but it won't matter, Heat in six.

That would give us second round matchups of Milwaukee-Miami and Toronto-Boston. These are good matchups and should be good series. Miami has a guy that can guard Giannis in Bam Adebayo. But do they have enough scoring? Are Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson going to hit enough threes? Will Adebayo be too tired on offense because he has to guard Giannis? How is Butler going to handle the full offensive load? As much as I'd like to see Miami push, I don't think they have enough yet. And Milwaukee has been waiting for real games. I feel like Milwaukee is going to wake up in the first round, and roll that into the rest of the playoffs. This will be a well fought series, and I'm going with the Bucks in six.

The Raptors and Celtics is going to be great. It is young versus vets. It is guys on the verge of stardom versus guys that know their roles and play them perfectly. It is 2 of the best minds in the NBA going head to head. This is going to be a throwback, rough and tumble series. And I think the Raptors are the better team. They are laden with vets that will do every little thing to win. The Celtics are still too young. Raptors in seven.

This will give us a rematch of the East Finals last year, and this time around I think the Bucks will exorcise some demons. Every team needs to have those tumbles, like the Bucks did last year, and then they can taste victory. That is what I think will happen this series. It will be tough and long, but I have the Bucks winning in seven games, all of which will be very, very good. The Bucks will be the East Champs.

Now the Varsity. The West is so much better than the East, and so much more wide open. Take the 1-8 matchup for example. The Trailblazers are the 8 seed, and they were in the conference finals last year. They are now fully healthy, they look good and Damian Lillard has been absolutely lights out. But I feel like the Lakers are playing possum, much like the Bucks. And while I don't think the Lakers are as good, or as deep as Milwaukee, they do have LeBron and AD. The Blazers will give them all they have, but they have had to fight to get this spot, I am sure they are tired and who is going to stop AD on that roster? I think it will go six because Dame is the modern day Allen Iverson, but in the long run LeBron and AD will be too much for the Blazers to handle.

The 2-7 is strength versus strength. The Mavericks are historically great on offense and the Clippers have the two best perimeter defenders in the league. What the Mavericks don't have though is a defense of any kind. They are going to have to score 130 every night to stay in this series, and I still think the Clippers would win, and win easily. The Clippers will throw Kawhi and Paul George at Luka and he will have his struggles. Also, Kristaps Porzingis is now simply a 7 footer that shoots threes. He is not a low post threat. The Clippers have too much on defense and more than enough on offense. Clippers in five.

The 3-6, the game I am watching now, features Utah and Denver. I'd be more prone to go with Utah to make it close if Mike Conley were still there. He left to be home for the birth of his kid, and I cannot think of a better reason to leave the bubble. Without him though, I just don't know how they can beat Denver. Rudy Gobert is going to have to use all his energy on defense guarding Nikola Jokic, which will make it tough on the offensive end. Denver is also going to be able to throw a plethora of people at Donovan Mitchell with no Conley there. And even though he has some dumbass theories about the CoronaVirus, Michale Porter Jr has been amazing in the bubble. The Nuggets are good, deep and can score in bunches. The Jazz are okay, but Conley going home hurts and their bench is not very good. Nuggets in six.

The 4-5 is my favorite matchup in all of the first round of the playoffs. We have Houston and OKC. Chris Paul facing Harden, and Russ if he comes back from injury. OKC also has so much more size, is deeper and has the best point guard playing in the playoffs. The Rockets though, they have James Harden and this funky lineup with no one taller than 6'8. How is that going to affect Steven Adams?  Is Harden going to score 40 every night? Will CP3 be seeking revenge? If Russ comes back, how hard is he going to go? This series is going to rule. It is going to be fun, with tons of points, scuffles, history and great games. As much as I'd love to see OKC advance, especially after they made all those trades and people like me thought they were going to tank, I think Harden is going to carry the Rockets to the second round. He is so good offensively, the Rockets are going to shoot a million threes and they will make enough to win four games. I have the Rockets in seven.

The second then features the Lakers and Rockets and the Nuggets and Clippers. The Rockets small ball lineup is going to get destroyed by AD, JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard. AD is going to eat like he never has before. He is going to absolutely own this series. He could easily go for 40 points and 20 rebounds a night. Harden could go off too, but it still won't be enough. The Rockets lack of size will cost them this series. The Lakers will win in six, but it could easily be five.

The Nuggets and Clippers will be harder fought, but with a similar outcome. Jokic will cause problems for the Clippers, as will Porter Jr if he keeps this up. But again, the Clippers can throw Kawhi, George, Patrick Beverly and the Morris brother at Porter Jr. They can also throw Kawhi, George and Zubac at Jokic. He may be able to pass out, or get up shots over these guys, but the Clippers are too good on defense, healthy and finally all back together. Clippers in six.

This gives us the battle of LA, and yes I am very aware I went chalk with the entire playoffs in both conferences. I think that is what the bubble is going to produce. The best, most veteran laden teams will advance. As far as the battle of LA, I think playing in the bubble favors the Clippers. There is no home court advantage, and if we never had a stoppage, the Clippers wouldn't have had a home court advantage anyway. LA is a Lakers town. But in Orlando, with no fans, none of that matters. And while the Lakers won the last game before the stoppage, and the first in the bubble, they were going all out while I felt the Clippers were kind of going through the motions. Now the games matter, Kawhi is going to turn that switch and Paul George is as healthy as he has ever been. It will be a good series. It will go seven games. But I just think the Clippers depth, when they unleash Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, they are a better team. AD will eat in this series too, but the Clippers can throw everyone else at everyone else on the Lakers. I don't like to ever pick against LeBron,  but the Clippers depth and defensively switch ability will be too much for the Lakers to overcome. I have the Clippers in seven.

As for the Finals, I am going with the Clippers in six. I have stuck with them the moment they acquired Kawhi and PG, so why would I change now? For all the same reasons I think they will beat the Lakers, you can say the same for the Bucks. Giannis can go off, but will the rest of the Bucks roster do the same? I don't think they will be able too because of the defense the Clippers can, and will, play. The Clippers will win the Finals in the bubble, and it will go down in history. I'm also going with Kawhi as the MVP because he is the best overall player in the NBA.

There you have it, my NBA playoff preview and picks. Now lets all go watch some basketball. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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