Michigan Football is Losing Some Great Players Right Now

Transfers happen in college sports all the time, and especially so in college football. Kids now are all super star, four or five star recruits out of high school, and if they don't start as a freshman or sophomore, they usually pack up and go. For the most part, this has no effect on me. It happens, fans have to deal with it, and some kids go on to be great and others are not so lucky.

My team, Michigan, has been dealing with a lot of attrition lately. In fact, ever since Jim Harbaugh took over, it seems more and more kids are transferring each year. But, I get it. Wilton Speight left for UCLA as a grad transfer because Harbaugh and Michigan moved on from him. There have been a number of running backs that have left because Michigan always has such a deep pool of talent at the position, and when a kid doesn't see the field for a year, he is going to want to go somewhere where he knows he will get to play. Tyrone Wheatley, when he was on staff, got his son to sign with Michigan, he was a top flight tight end, but he barely saw the field in his freshman year, and he opted to go play for a 1-AA school instead. And so far this offseason they have had a good amount of kids deciding to leave. All of them have made sense to me. Alex Van Summeren was going to be passed on the depth chart by one of the stud linebackers they just got to sign with them. Some of the O lineman that left, they were not seeing the field, or they felt like it wasn't the best spot for them. Dylan McCaffery opted out of the 2020 season, and then decided he was going to leave when Joe Milton and Cade McNamara surpassed him on the depth chart at QB. All of these made sense to me, and I expected as much.

Yet two transfers recently have left me a bit shook. I have thought about them more than I would like to admit. I have been thinking about why they left. I have been questioning their decisions. The two players are Zach Charbonnet and Joe Milton. Zach Charbonnet was a prized running back in the 2018 class. He was going to be the running back of the future. He was the next great Michigan back. He lived up to the hype for most of his freshman season. He saw the field plenty, starting as a true freshman. If it weren't for him, Army would have beaten them in Ann Arbor. Charbonnet went on to break the freshman rushing touchdown record, and he put up over 700 yards on the ground. He did deal with injuries and missed time, but he seemed like the feature back. Then this most recent season happened, and he just seemed like a forgotten player. He had a great 70 yard rushing touchdown in their season opener at Minnesota, and then he was a ghost. Blake Corum was getting more touches. Chris Evans was being used in situations that Charbonnet handled last season. And Hassan Haskins, who I am a big fan of, just seemed to put a stranglehold on the feature back spot after putting together solid games in 3 straight weeks. When Haskins showed his skills, I immediately thought that this was it for Charbonnet. I guess the staff did too because they barely used him. He got less than five touches a game after that. He was starting to miss games with injuries and other random things popping up. When he would get in a game, he was seemingly used as a blocking back. I was stumped. I thought maybe he was really hurt, but I think that was some odd wishful thinking on my part. When the season ended, I felt like it was a matter of days before he entered the transfer portal. It took a bit longer than that, about a month, but sure enough he was in the portal, and about a week later, he was committed to UCLA. That made sense to me because he is from California, he wanted to be close to home I assumed and he was most likely told he was going to be the starter from day one. I think he is going to be a humongous get for the Bruins, and that he could very well lead the Pac 12 in rushing next season. I am going to miss him being a Wolverine, but at least I have Haskins and Corum and now Donovan Edwards to lean on as "the next great Michigan back".

The Joe Milton transfer news, which dropped today, really bummed me out. My dad has been a fan of his since day one. He turned me on to him very early on. We are not ones to watch recruiting videos, but we were sucked in to some of his. He is very big, very fast and has one hell of an arm. He is also very raw. But I like that in a QB. You can mold someone like that. And he seemed to be a very coachable player. He showed flashes in his freshman year, splitting backup duties with Dylan McCaffery. He would come in and get nice ground gains. And then I saw his arm, and boy was I hooked. He had an absolute canon. I also went to a game with my dad his freshman year, and watching him warmup was a thing of beauty. With a flick of his wrist, the ball would fly. He was also so much bigger than McCaffery, and the starter at the time, Shea Patterson. My dad and I were both floored at how big he was in person. In his second year he was still splitting backup stuff with McCaffery. But when McCaffery broke his collarbone in the Wisconsin game, Milton was the sole backup. And he showed even more flashes. He came in in the second half of the Rutgers game that year and absolutely dominated. He was throwing dimes and making good reads and running the ball like a true dual threat QB. This was when I made up my mind that he was the QB of the future for the Wolverines. And that paid off last offseason when he won the starting job. And then he came out and played great in the Minnesota game. I was sold. Even when he struggled, I still saw things in him that I didn't in McCaffery or McNamara or Shea Patterson or this incoming five star kid, JJ McCarthy. Milton is bigger than all of them. He isn't as fast as McCaffery, but he was more willing to sit in the pocket and wait, not just abandoning the play to run. But when he did run, he is so big, he was hard to take down and he would gain yards. He has a much stronger arm than Patterson. People may saw he was inaccurate and wild with his throws. I disagree. I do not think the receivers were/are at his level. He has a pro arm. He is so much more exciting than McNamara. McNamara is a fine QB, but he doesn't bring any excitement. He is like a better Brandon Peters. And we do not know anything about McCarthy yet. He may be the next Trevor Lawrence. Or, he could be the next Tate Martell. That is why I am so wary of starting a freshman QB, especially at Michigan. I was on board of another year of Milton. I even said during this last season that he was going to have great moments, and not so great moments. Unfortunately, the fans only noticed the bad stuff, and they trolled this kid online. That is so wrong. But now that he is transferring, I feel like the staff is also just giving up on him. They don't want to work with him. They have this shiny new five star and Cade McNamara, who is a fine QB, just oh so boring. Milton is going to end up somewhere, and he is going to shine. I have to assume he will do what Charbonnet did, and go back home and play in Florida somewhere. Wherever he ends up, that team, is getting a great QB, with skills that cannot be taught, and he is going to thrive. I actually think he would fit in well at UCF, now that they have hired Gus Malhzahn. I just wish Michigan would have worked with him more, and gave him an actual chance to build on last year, and get better. They could have had him for another two or three years.

As I said, transfers happen all the time, but these two hurt, and I think Michigan fans that badmouthed these two kids online will have to eat crow when they go on and blow up with their new teams. What a bummer to be a Michigan football fan today.

Ty

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

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Ty Revisits the Iconic Music of Jimmy Cliff

As I stated last week, I have been in a reggae music listening mood. I have had it on pretty consistently for the past couple weeks. It was mostly Marley, with some other off shoots here and there. It’s been great.

The most played artist on my mixes, after Marley, was Jimmy Cliff. Now I know for some, myself included, the first song I ever heard from Jimmy Cliff was "I Can See Clearly Now". I loved the movie "Cool Runnings" as a child, and this song was prominently featured in the trailer and on the soundtrack. As I got a little older, and branched out to Marley and Lee Perry and Desond Dekker and The Melodians, Cliff was kind of Velveeta to me. He was cheesy and corny. He wasn't like these other guys. These bands had stuff to say, they had a message. It also helped that they were incredible musicians and performers. I kind of put Jimmy Cliff in the same category as I did with Phish when I listened to jam music. I just never gave him a fair shake.

Well, a few years into my 20's, my oldest brother heard me giving Jimmy Cliff a hard time. He was the one who really introduced me to a lot of the reggae I was listening to then, and still listen to now. He told me that I was wrong. He said there was only one thing I needed to see, and then hear, and my opinion would immediately shift. One evening when I was visiting him in Columbia, he showed me the movie "The Harder They Come", and then had me listen to the soundtrack right afterward. He was one hundred percent correct. Any kind of irrational thoughts and feelings I had about Cliff instantly disappeared. He became this whole new person to me. He wasn't the cheesy "I Can See Clearly Now" Cliff anymore. He was different. "The Harder They Come" is one of the better movies I have ever seen, and Cliff is electric in it. He is menacing and charming at the same time. He does some great work. I bought every single ounce of his character. I rooted for him even though he did some shady stuff. But the soundtrack, and especially his songs, moved me. "You Can Get It If You Really Want" is quintessential reggae music. It is also a great way to kick off the record. The title track is hard and, for a reggae song, kind of like rock and roll. It is just so good and so awesome. "Sitting In Limbo" is devastating and rough and perfectly tells a story of a person who truly does not know what their next move should, or will, be. But "Many Rivers to Cross" is one of the most heart breaking, yet beautiful songs ever written. This song still moves me to this day., It has some kind of excellent power grip on me. I can never skip it. I have to always sing along to it. It is the song that I want played at my funeral. It is so goddamn perfect.

So, obviously, this all changed my perception of Cliff. I gave him another shot. I slowly started to discover his older music, and realized he was not only prolific, but a great, great writer who wrote very important songs. He is on that Lee Perry and Desmond Dekker level. To me, he is second only to Bob Marely. I love Peter Tosh, but I think Cliff is a better overall musician, and made more music, only because he wasn't killed. But Cliff has been doing this since 1967. He put out his first record then, at the age of 19. He actually put out six records prior to "The Harder They Come" is the classic, and probably has his best songs on it. He also starred in the movie. Since 1972, Cliff has put out a record almost every year all the way up to 2012. He also has a myriad of live albums that further show his greatness. I mean, this guy has been at it for a very long time, and most of his stuff is great. Hell, as an adult, I adore "I Can See Clearly Now". It is a lovely, and vibrant song. I couldn't have been more wrong on my initial impression of him. But this is why it is good to have people in your life who are willing to call you out, and then show proof of how awesome someone may be that you have discounted.

I am forever grateful to my brother, and love that I was proven wrong. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go listen to some Jimmy Cliff. 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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Thoughts on Who Should Trade for Blake Griffin

Where we sit today, the NBA trade deadline is about three weeks away. There have already been massive moves, Harden to the Nets, and I think there will be a flurry of moves coming very soon. I could see upwards of a dozen or so guys being on a new team before the month is out.

If you are looking for an indicator why, look at all the players being sat right now so teams can try and find a trade partner. Guys like JJ Redick and Austin Rivers and Lonzo Ball and Kevin Love and Andre Drummond have all seen their playing time diminish to almost nothing. Now, this doesn't necessarily mean all these guys will be traded, but I suspect most of them will by March 7th.

One person who I was kind of shocked to be on the block was Blake Griffin. He has really kind of nose dived since the Clippers traded him to the Pistons. At the time it happened, I got it for both sides. The Clippers didn't want to pay him, they were going to go after Kawhi, they were offloading everyone they could and they wanted to make a push. For the Pistons, they wanted to get in the playoffs, they wanted a player that could sell tickets, Griffin could run the show there and he was going to be teamed up with Drummond, who was a Piston at the time, to form a solid front court. Well, it has worked okay for the Clippers, they got Kawhi and Paul George, and they are one of the top teams in the West. As for the Pistons and Griffin, well that is a different story. They were swept out of the playoffs in the first round his first season there. Then he got hurt again. Then the Pistons traded Drummond. And they waived Reggie Jackson, then they recently traded Derrick Rose and they are not very good. They are competitive, but I think only second to the Timberwolves, they have one of the worst records in the league. Jerami Grant has been exceptional, and rookie Saadiq Bey definitely has potential, but they are rebuilding.

Maybe I shouldn't be that shocked to see them sit Griffin, and try to find a trade partner for him. He is older, 31 now. He has been more injured in his pro career than not. He doesn't have the bounce he used to. He has never been a great rebounder or defender. He can shoot and handle okay, but he isn't the threat he once was. I never bought into the hype surrounding Griffin, but he does have some value to a team chasing the playoffs, or perhaps the title.

I have sat and thought about who I think would be the best fit for him, where he could go and do what he has become good at, and help a team get far in the playoffs. That means all the also rans, the Cavs and T'Wolves and Wizards are off the table. But there are some teams, in both conferences, that can use a point forward who can knock down a few threes per game, and force opponents to guard him because he is still somewhat of a scoring threat. Right away I take out the Lakers, Clippers, Nets, Jazz, Trailblazers and Nuggets. These teams already have players like him, or they don't have enough equity to get him. But that does leave some teams, teams near the top, that could use a guy like Blake Griffin to make a push. The 76ers could use him, but they will not give up enough to get him, and they shouldn't. What they are doing right now is working. The Bucks may like the idea of pairing him with Giannis, and while he is much better than Bobby Portis, I do not think Milwaukee has enough to make a trade for him, unless they are willing to part with a starter or two. I think he would work out well with the Spurs, but I don't think Pop wants to bring on a former "star" player. I think he likes what his youth is giving him right now. I'd be kind of interested to see him paired with Luka in Dallas, but they seem set with Porzingis, and that is a bummer. He is so soft, and does not play like a 7 footer. He is also as injury prone, if not more so, than Griffin. I don't think the Celtics will be willing to part with any of their youth, and the Knicks want a young big name, not a player in his waning years.

That leaves me with two teams that, while I do not think they will win the title, they will be in the playoffs and make a serious push. Those teams are the Pacers and Heat. Both are very middling right now. The Pacers are .500, and the Heat are below .500. That doesn't mean things won't change, and I think if either one adds Griffin, they could make their way to the upper half of the East. The Pacers would need to part ways with Myles Turner, which would be a bummer because he has been a defensive force this season. But, his name has been in trade talks the past two years. I think they could put Turner in the deal, add a younger guard and a pick, and they could add Griffin. That would pair him up with Sabonis. Sabonis does all the dirty work, he is a good defender and he is becoming a legit first option. Griffin could play off that pretty well. Then he would have shooters around him. Brogdon can knock down shots. TJ Warren is liable to go for 40 on any given night. Jeremy Lamb has moments. And when Caris Levert gets cleared to play, he is an offensive dynamo. Griffin would be surrounded by young guys that play hard on both ends and he could come in and be someone that can contribute offensively right away. It would be such a bummer to have to trade Turner, but as I said, it is not like they haven't shopped him yet.

As for the Heat, they are struggling right now. They're 11-16, which is 10th currently in the East, but a few wins here and there, and they are back in it. They are also almost at full health. They were ravaged by injury, they had COVID issues, and finally they are getting everyone back. The Heat also would not have to give up any of the young scorers that have been mentioned for bigger names. They could keep Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson. Bam is off the table obviously. Jimmy Butler isn't going anywhere. Dragic is there to stay. Hell, they could even hold onto Andre Igodala if they want. They would have to give up someone, or multiple someones, guys like Kendrick Nunn or Kelly Olnyk or Meyers Leonard or maybe, even though they don't want to, Precious Achiuwa. But I think they would, knowing they could keep the main core guys, and add Griffin to the team. I also think Griffin would love playing for the Heat, and he would definitely prefer Miami to Indiana due to outside interests. I also think he fits even better with the Heat. Bam is better than Damontas Sabonis. He is stronger, a better offensive player and just seems to have that "it" factor some star players show. Jimmy Butler could be Griffin's newer version of Chris Paul, keeping him in check. He has better, younger versions of JJ Reddick in Robinson and Herro. And He and Dragic could run a dangerous pick and roll against second units. The Heat, for a myriad of reasons, makes almost too much sense to me. I would be kind of stunned when/if he gets traded if it isn't to the Heat. I think both teams would benefit the most. And above all, I think Griffin would take this news with a tremendous smile and acclimate very nicely, and quickly, to Miami.

Miami. That is where Blake Griffin should end up. It is as near a perfect fit as there is in the NBA.

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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Snow Sucks

In Saint Louis we are in the midst of, what we would consider, a pretty rough winter. It has been bitterly cold the last week, we are getting snowed on and school, even for the kids doing virtual, is getting canceled daily. I know we do not have to deal with what people who live up North have to, or what people in much colder countries do. But, for the time, and place I live, it is very cold and very snowy.

Up above I mentioned how school has been getting canceled a lot lately too. I, like most kids, used to relish this. I would sit at the TV screen the night before it would snow, and just watch and hope that my school would be on there. It didn't usually happen the night before, but after a restless night of sleep, I would wake up in the morning and do the same. Just watch, wait and hope. More times that not, we usually got a day or two called off here and there for snow. It was nice. We would get together, go sledding or play tackle football and just have fun. After we were done outside, we would go into someone's house and have a snack. The snack was usually some nice hot chocolate and sandwiches. After all that playing we needed to fuel up so we could do it again later in the day before it got dark. These were the best. I look back at them fondly.

As an adult this has all changed. I am not a fan of the snow. I feel that it almost ruins my day, and sometimes, my week. I am, as one of the jobs of a stay at home parent, essentially a taxi service. I have to take my kids to school, to their sports, to their friends houses, pretty much everywhere they need to be. I also do all the grocery shopping and any other little errand that needs to be done. This is all by choice. I like being out of my home when possible, so it is nice to have these things to do, even in a pandemic. But when it snows, or gets brutally cold, all these jobs are much more difficult and draining. When the weather is like this, there is no drive to school. That makes the morning feel like forever, and completely slows down my day. It slows down my kids' day too. And because we are living in a pandemic, my kids' do not have the luxury of getting together with their friends. They are lucky to see one kid they know, and that rarely happens. I can take them sledding, but it is in our backyard, or I take my son to a bigger hill, and he sleds solo. The fun of that for him wanes pretty quickly. My kids also are not as into sports as I am. I can ask them to toss a football around in the snow, or play freeze tag or run back and forth, but they simply lose interest way too fast. The only holdover that still works is the hot chocolate and snacks. But now, with my diet, I rarely ever indulge with them. They get to have it, and I just get to have the sense memory. But even worse is the driving and trying to run simple errands in the snow and cold. It is slick, the roads out here take forever to get clean, the stores run out of items because people panic shop. It is all a mess. I also will not go out to run if it is less than 10 degrees outside. That has been the case for four days now. I have had to workout in my home. That is fine, we have a recumbent bike, I have circuit training I can do, I have resistance bands and I can run in place. But man is it so much more boring, and less satisfying. I can ride my bike for an hour, and only burn 400 calories. I have to run in place for an hour just to get in three miles. The resistance bands and circuit training is good, but I move around so much, and make so much noise, my wife cannot hear her meetings. Then we have the aftermath of the snow. It is going to be cold for the rest of today, and most of tomorrow in Saint Louis, then it will start warming up. By the end of the week it will be in the mid to high 30's. That means I can run outside again, but it is going to be an absolute sloppy mess. The snow is going to melt, the roads and sidewalks are going to be like streams, the trails are going to be filled with mud and the snow will turn to dirt and will muck up cars and buses and roads and rivers.

Snow sucks. It is all so not worth it. Sure it looks pretty, my kids get a few days off here and there and they can have their cocoa, but the adults have to deal with the bad part of the snow and cold. My dad was right. He told me when I grew up that I would not like the snow, no matter how much I pushed back. Well, I do not like the snow, and I wish it would come and go quickly. I guess that is a sign of growth and maturity, but man does this weather really bum me out now. At least my kids get to enjoy it.

Ty

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

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Ty Revisits "Talkin Blues"

Recently I have been back on a reggae music kick. I have been listening to older Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytals and, of course, Bob Marley. There is also some solo Peter Tosh thrown in there, but it is mostly Marley and Cliff. The other day I was looking for some older Marley stuff to listen to, his more ska/early reggae music stuff, but I came across the record "Talkin Blues". I remember liking this album when I first heard it some 15 or so years ago. But at that time, all of The Wailers stuff was great. I decided I was going to check out "Talkin Blues" again to see if it holds up.

Well, not only does it hold up, this is officially my favorite Wailers album. It has that VH1 Storytellers or Unplugged or NPR's small desk concerts vibe to it. Almost every song is interspersed with Bob Marley talking about the band, the songs or just life in general. It is neat to hear what he has to say about these topics. I also like hearing his talking voice. He is very Jamaican, and I love that accent. When you get to the songs, it is almost like a greatest hits record, and every song is recorded live. When doing some research on everyone's favorite website, Wikipedia, I found out the album wasn't released until 1991, but it was recorded between 1973-75. I wonder why there was such a delay, but it was worth it to get this wonderful, timeless album.

The tracks on the album include, "Talkin Blues", "Burnin and Lootin", "Kinky Reggae", "Get Up, Stand Up", "Slave Driver", "Walk the Proud Land", "Lively Up Yourself", "You Can't Blame the Youth", "Stop that Train", "Rastaman Chant", "Am-A-Do", "Bend Down Low" and "I Shot the Sheriff". That is a murderer's row of the band's songs. And to get to hear them all live, recorded live in a studio, it just adds to the allure of this album. It also starts off with a bang with "Talkin Blues". When you can kick off a record with a funky reggae song, it will hook the listener right away. Hearing "Talkin Blues" right at the top took me back to when I first heard this album and when I fell in love with it. Bob Marley's voice is so unique and vibrant and wonderful and perfect. No one can replicate him, and that is why he is one of the greatest musicians and writers of all time, and far and away the greatest reggae artist of all time. Then they come right at you with a classic. "Burnin and Lootin" is as relevant now and it is just as awesome. "Kinky Reggae" is one of my all time favorite songs, and to hear it live, in a studio setting, adds just a little extra pizzazz to it that I love. When Peter Tosh gets to take over the vocals, we get two of the best songs ever written and performed. His version of "Stop that Train" is soulful reggae at its best. It is so good. He tops that with his performance on "You Can't Blame the Youth". That song literally changed my life and how I viewed historical figures. I read up on the people he talked about in the song and realized how horrible they were. I also appreciate the message of the song. We truly cannot blame the youth if we do not give them honest answers and raise them to respect people. The lyric, "when every Christmas comes you give the youth a fancy toy gun/so you can't blame the youth when they turn bad", speaks volumes to me. I will not buy, and I ask family members as well, to not give my kids toy guns because I am so anti gun. I will even cite this lyric when telling them why I do not want them to buy my kids toy guns. Then they close it out with three stone cold classics. We get "Rastaman Chant", which is a truly perfect reggae song, "Am-A-Do", which may not be as well known, but it is so danceable and "Bend Down Low", which is some baby making reggae music.

This album is so perfect. I am so glad I revisited it. I am so happy that I can go to it anytime I want to hear some classic reggae music by the greatest reggae band of all time. I know that Bob Marley is loved by a ton of people, but it still isn't enough in my opinion. He should be listed on every list as one of the greatest musicians ever. And "Talkin Blues" definitely belongs in the greatest albums talk from now on. It is a classic.

Ty

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Where Should Carson Wentz Play Next Season?

Word is that Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz will be a key in the next big NFL trade.

I have kind of been in and out of the whole Carson Wentz trade speculation. I see, on separate days, that he’s out the door or that he’s sticking around. Lately it’s been that the asking price is far too high. I guess they want what the Lions got for Stafford. As you read last week, that trade, to me, wasn’t that big of a deal. But, if the Eagles are asking for a starting QB, and a bunch of picks for Wentz, they’re out of their minds. By all accounts, and I’ve read this on multiple sites, Wentz is hard to deal with. I don’t know if it’s ego or faith or whatever, but he doesn’t have the clout to be as demanding as many, many reputable people have written. He didn’t win the Super Bowl, Nick Foles did. And for those that may say, well he led them there, they doesn’t matter to me. He got hurt, and Foles stepped in and won when it mattered. Ever since that Super Bowl, Wentz has been mediocre at best, and Foles, while not as great as he was during that playoff run, did get paid and has started for two different teams. I think Foles is a better QB. I also do not think Wentz is even the best QB currently on the Eagles roster. That goes to Jalen Hurts. He’s younger, more explosive, more athletic and way more likable. When he got benched at the end of the season, the reaction from his teammates shows the respect he gained in one season. I don’t think Wentz would’ve gotten the same reception. Hurts also, at least so far, doesn’t get injured as easily as Wentz.

So for the Eagles to be this audacious, in asking for such a big return, I’m kind of shocked. I don’t know what team is begging to get a QB like Wentz, who appears to be an injured head case, and is also willing to give up a good amount of picks. Would the Texans do it so they could find a trade partner for Deshaun Watson? I don’t think either side wants that. The Bears seem to be sticking with Trubisky and Foles. The Steelers just signed Dwayne Haskins, so they have a project QB. Washington has signed a back up, and if they move on from Alex Smith, I think they’re going to go hard after Cam Newton, reuniting him with Ron Rivera. The Cowboys are going to franchise tag Dak. The Patriots will, most likely, go young and draft a QB. And the Seahawks, who seem to be fielding calls for Russel Wilson, would be foolish to trade him at all, and outright dumb to trade him for Wentz. I don’t see the value. I don’t see the need to bankrupt your future for a mediocre QB.

None of this makes any sense to me. What makes the most sense, to me, is for the Eagles to keep him for the remainder of his contract, and let him back up Jalen Hurts. He can come in in emergency situations, for gimmick plays and for mop up duty. The Eagles won’t get a goldmine for him, so just play the contract out. That’s what I’d do.

Ty

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Ty Rewatches "Saved By the Bell: The College Years"

In listening to the podcast "Zack to the Future", and rewatching old episodes of "Saved by the Bell", and also finishing up a book called "Zack Morris Lied 329 Times", I recently decided I wanted to go back and watch "The College Years" again. I did watch it when it was first on, in syndication, and I remember thinking that it was not as good as the original, but thinking it was just fine. Well this rewatch, and yes we finished the whole season, all nineteen episodes, in about four days, showed me a whole new light, and it was not great.

"The College Years" just does not have the juice that the original had. It isn't as campy or funny or goofy or enjoyable. It is just more recycled nonsense, but this time around they are in college, and I kept saying, they are too old for these stunts. Zack still acts like he is in high school. I know he is only a freshman, but his whole schtick, his antics, his attitude, it is so much more trashy than when he was in high school. People are supposed to grow as they get older, supposed to find new meaning, become the person they will be for the rest of their lives. Zack does none of this. He is still scheming, conniving, womanizing and, quite frankly, kind of pathetic. He has one line when he talks about a girl he likes dating someone they said is cooler than him, and he says, "cooler than me? No one is cooler than me". Dude, you are in a college with thousands of other people, some of which are most assuredly cooler than he is. Hell, he lives with Slater, and Slater is at school on a sports scholarship. His roommate is cooler than him. When Kelly shows up in episode 2, she is cooler than him. The fact that he wants to be in a fraternity so bad makes all the independents cooler than him. I could go on and on.

I really like Mark Paul Gosselear, and seeing where he is at now in his career makes me appreciate him so much more, but he is no good as Zack in "The College Years". He is just kind of blah and boring and repetitive. At least Slater has wrestling, a job, starts to celebrate his heritage, dates someone totally different from him. Slater shows growth from high school to college. He also, for the most part, stays out of the shenanigans. But, he is kind of boring in this iteration of the show. Screech is still geeky and weird, but he gets a girl on his own, joins a frat on his own, helps take care of a monkey and excels in school. Screech would go places in real life. But, again, he is so doofy and dumb, especially for someone as smart as his character is supposed to be. Kelly, when she shows back up, is seemingly down for all new experiences. She works at the school hospital, she is a waitress, she dates a professor and she resists Zack, at least for a bit. But she still succumbs to his "charm", and picks him over the hundreds of other guys, who would have been way better for her in the long run. Leslie, Alex and Bob are just filler. Leslie starts as a love interest for Zack, but that ends as soon as Kelly shows up. Alex is annoying and a stereotypical theater major and chews far too much scenery. Bob is supposed to be the new Belding, but, and I can't believe I'm saying this, he is not nearly as funny or charming as Dennis Haskins.

"The College Years" tried to stick to the method that was so successful in high school, but you have to remember, these kids are college kids. High school nonsense doesn't fly. Professors cannot order students to their office. They cannot force kids to come to class. Zack wouldn't be able to get away with his usual chicanery. I love "Saved by the Bell". Believe me. But I think that is the only version of the show I will still watch, especially with how rough "The College Years" was on rewatch. It is not very good. At all.

Ty

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

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I Should Have Skipped That In Person Race

Last week I wrote about how I was going to be doing my first in person race since the pandemic started. I did it, and I am here to tell you all about it.

The race is called the Beulah 963. As I said last week, the 963 was for 9 hours, 6 hours or 3 hours. I signed up for 3 hours. So Saturday came, and luckily my day was filled with activities. I had stuff to do in the morning, my son had a basketball clinic, we did a father daughter dance at my house and we all had dinner together. Before I knew it, it was already 8pm, and I had to get ready, my race started at 9pm. So I bundled up big time. It was nice and cold in Saint Louis, and at around 6pm, it started to flurry. The flurrying continued into the evening, stopping at around 10:30pm. Luckily I know how to dress properly for this weather while running, so bundling was of no concern. As I was driving to the spot, the snow kept coming down, and the temperature reader in my car kept dipping. By the time I parked, the snow was like rain, and the temperature was in the mid teens. I got out of my car, put on my hydration pack, put on my light up vest, then my balaclava and head lamp and made my way to pick up my bib. As I walked to the barn, I felt okay. I had that usual pre race adrenaline I have come to know well, and I felt like I had just enough clothes on to stay warm throughout the race. I signed in, got my bib and got ready. The race director gave us a little speech, and we were off.

This is where it all turned to shit, at least for me. As I mentioned, it was snowing when I got there. The trail we were on is very rocky and very slippery even when it is beautiful outside. The snow made this trail feel like an ice rink. On the very first turn, not even a quarter of a mile in, I slipped and landed pretty hard on my back. I am used to this, so I popped up pretty quick, assured the three people around me I was okay, and proceeded to run. No less than another tenth of a mile, and I slipped again, this time hitting my back on the side of a rock. Again I gathered myself, took a deep breath and made a go of it. As I got moving again, I knew something was wrong. The pain was not just going away like it normally does. I had this constant feeling like my back had a heartbeat, and it felt like the discs were moving. I have felt this before, and it usually goes away rather quick, but not on Saturday night. I kept at it for a few reasons. I had just started, I wanted to do this, I still felt like I could run and I am not a quitter. So off I went. Every step hurt, but it wasn't any type of pain that I haven't run through before. And I finally found some solid ground, at least I thought. I was able to go for about a mile and a half straight without falling, and I got my pace back to what I was expecting. My back hurt, but getting caught up made me feel okay.

Then I slipped again, and again and about eight more times on that first loop. I was getting rather frustrated, and I had some thoughts of calling it after one loop. But, like a beacon, I saw a straight, flat path covered in leaves that led to the end of the loop. I got going again, and made my way, about a mile, to the barn where we started. I slowed to a walk, they had to punch a hole in your bib to mark your laps, and they asked if I was going out again. Reluctantly, I said yes. There were a few people behind me that were complaining like me about the condition of the trail. But when they opted to go again, that gave me the push I thought I needed. So I went on, this time trying to be extra cautious.

I did not fall after a quarter of a mile this time, but the trail was very slick, slicker than my first lap. Even with the snow fall stopping, the temperature kept dropping, and this made the rocks slick, and the terrain very slick. I was running very, very slow. This didn't seem to matter, I kept slipping. I wasn't falling, but I was slipping, and with every slip, a sharp pain shot down my back and through my hips. I got to a very rocky portion, and I stopped running all together and just walked, watching every single step. I had a few people behind me doing the same. We would tell each other where it was slick, but it didn't seem to matter. We were sliding all over the place.

I decided right then and there that this was my last lap. I was only going to be physically able to do two. I was fine with this, but it is kind of crushing when you make this realization at races. I was slipping and sliding so much that I decided it would be best to walk, or to jog extremely slow. I kept at this for a while, but my pace of 13 minutes a mile quickly shot up to 17 and 18 minutes. Not to worry I thought, there was only two more miles.

Well, I was wrong. It just got slicker and worse. I fell off the trail twice, once tumbling over. I slipped and had to hug a tree to not fall. I fell once on my face, picked up a chunk of snow, chucked it and cursed as loud as I could. Finally I got near the end and just decided I had to walk. No more running or jogging or even hiking. It was just a walk. I was still slipping and sliding, but along with two other people, we walked our way to the finish, said we were done, said goodbye and made our way to our cars.

As I walked to my car I noticed a few things. One, my headlamp froze to my balaclava. Two, my sweatshirt sleeves were frozen. Three, taking off my pack did nothing to help my back. Four, I felt almost delirious. It was just a myriad of problems. Once I got to my car I took all my gear off and blasted the heat. When I got moving on the road I felt okay. I was tired, but didn't feel overly cold, and while my back still hurt, I realized it was just sore, and I was not injured. When I got home I felt something I never have before. When I turned the car off, and got out to get my things and go inside, I started to shiver violently, and I couldn't stop. I got in my house and immediately stripped off all my clothes, but that did not help much. I was shivering so hard I couldn't even get my contacts out. I had to wake up my wife and get her help. After she did this for me, she is the best, I got into a hot shower and just let the water rain over me. I finally stopped shivering about five minutes into my shower. After I got cleaned up, and put on very comfy clothes for bed, I realized I didn't have enough fuel during the race. My pack froze and so did my gummies. So when the pack thawed, I drank a ton of my Tailwinds. I then ate a muffin and an entire bag of gummy bears. I then drank a Spindrift, and another 16 ounces of water, and I finally felt okay. This all happened at 12:30am by the way.

In the end, I have more mixed feelings than before about this race. I felt very safe COVID wise, but the terrain was horrifying. The people I met were very cool, but I have never been that cold before. Then the back and hip stuff. Add on the fact that I only did two laps. Then we have the frustration I felt for two straight hours. I mean, I'm glad I finally got to do an in person race, but I do not know that I will ever do this particular one again, or any night race for that matter. There were far too many cons than there were pros. I'm happy that people had enough sense to follow the rules and new safety protocols , but the during and after effects, I just do not think it was worth it.

Anyway, that is my story of my first in person race in 10 months. Take it as you will.

Ty

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

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Ty Watches the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl came and went with a whimper last night. Tampa Bay crushed Kansas City. It was close for about one quarter. The Chiefs got called for an exuberant amount of first half penalties, many of which I thought were pretty bad calls. The refs cleaned it up in the second half, and the game went pretty smooth after that. But, even with the refs making some bad calls, this game was not as close as I hoped it would be.

I assumed we would get a high scoring, shootout type of game. The Bucs did their part, but the Chiefs were stifled. The Bucs defense was dominant last night. And I know people will say that the Chiefs didn't have their two starting tackles, and that Mahomes is hurt, but that did not affect them at all in the playoffs until last night. The Bucs got constant pressure, they negated the Chiefs run game, they had Mahomes running for his life all night and they picked him off twice. They also did not give up one TD, which I believe is the first time that has happened to the Chiefs since Mahomes took over as the starter. This was also the first time he was beaten by double digits in the NFL. The Bucs D should have won a team MVP last night. They were awesome. This goes to show that Todd Bowles is a good coach. The Bucs offense did all the right stuff after their first two drives. They went three and out twice, then they figured it out. Byron Leftwich orchestrated an exceptional game plan after those first two drives, and the Bucs pretty much did whatever they wanted. They had receivers and tight ends streaking down the field constantly, and they were wide open. Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones Jr ran with power and had gaping holes to plow through. This was a dominant effort. Tom Brady did what he has always done. He was efficient, focused and managed the game perfectly. He executed Leftwich's plan to a T.

I do not like Tampa, not at all. I haven't liked them ever. But, the proof was out on the field that they were the better, more prepared team last night. Also, I questioned Brady's choice to sign with Tampa. I was obviously wrong. I think there is no question he is the best QB to ever play in the NFL.

As for the Chiefs, this is going to happen from time to time. They did have key injuries. Mahomes was not 100 percent. They relied on a rookie running back. With dynasties, and yes the Chiefs are on the cusp of being one, games like this are going to happen. New England did not win every Super Bowl they played in. Peyton Manning won two, but he also lost two. The Cowboys have a ton of titles, but they have playoff lapses too. The Packers have the same. With a team on the brink of a dynasty, especially in football, games like this are par for the course. But make no mistake, they got whooped. Mahomes even said as much. They were outmatched and thoroughly beaten. But do I think they will be back in the Super Bowl before Tampa? Yes. They are still the favorites in the AFC every year they have a healthy Patrick Mahomes. I think they should be the favorites for the Super Bowl in 2022. They are that good. They had a rough game last night, and were beaten by a better team. But that doesn't change the fact that they are young and super, super talented.

As for the other stuff, this whole Super Bowl "experience" was indicative of 2020, and the beginning of 2021. We had no one at our house to watch. The food was excellent, just not as plentiful. The commercials, save for a very few, were all kind of dull. I am not a fan of The Weekend, and while his show looked neat, I did not think it was a hall of fame performance. I do appreciate that his dancers were masked, even if it was just for affect. The anthem was fine. The poet, I did think she was amazing. The post game stuff was very blah, as was the game itself. I am astonished that the NFL got a full season in, that there were no stoppages or shut downs and that they played a Super Bowl. But the game, and pretty much everything surrounding it was not that exciting or interesting. I'd say the two best things for me were the poet and the pulled pork sliders my wife made. Everything else was very forgettable.

Anyway, congrats to the Bucs, and Chiefs fans, don't get too upset, you guys will be back very, very soon.

Ty

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

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The Continuing Adventures of Pandemic Schooling

I haven't done a school check in blog for awhile, so today feels like a good day for a new one.

We are into the second semester now here in Saint Louis. I assume most places are for that matter. Things have been smoother than I think most of us could have hoped for. I am probably jinxing it, but we haven't gotten an email from my son's school with a new case in well over a month. And my daughter's preschool, still no positive cases all year. Things have been good at school too. My kids have both told me, on separate occasions, that the only real difference is having to wear a mask all day, and they couldn't care less about that. I applaud both schools my kids go to for teaching them the importance of masks and hand washing and why they need to be more conscious of their hygiene. I am a clean freak as it is, but it is nice to have other people, people outside my home, telling them how important cleanliness truly is.

My kids have adapted well to any other changes too, even outside the universal masking at county schools. They have lunch with their class, that is it. No mingling with other classes, no additional students or teachers, just their teacher and their classmates. My son got on board with this fairly easily. My daughter has half days, so lunch is at home with me. My son has a full day, so he does have this new experience, but as I said, he is cool with it. It helps that he is in class with some kids he has been friends with since kindergarten. He already has these built in relationships. But I think no matter who was in his class, he would find someone to hang with. He is very sociable and easy to get along with. He is very good at making friends. Recess is also like lunch. Their class goes out each day to a different area of the playground, and they play. Some days they get the playground, some days they get the blacktop, that includes ga ga ball, basketball and tether ball and other days they get the big field. It rotates every single day. Again, my son has had no problems adapting to this change. He gets to still do all the things he likes doing at recess, and he gets to hang with his buddies. There have been zero problems. My daughter has recess too, but her class is so small, and they go out so early, they get the full playground to themselves, which is very nice for a bunch of 4 and 5 year olds. And both kids have little four people pods they sit in within their classroom. It has been nice because they rotate the people every few weeks. My son is loving his pod right now because he has his three best friends with him. This has caused some issues within the class, but only because all four of them talk non stop. My daughter loves the pod stuff because she gets to kind of run things. She is one of the older kids in her class, so the younger kids look up to her for advice, and to know what to do. She likes to be in charge, and the pod is perfect for her.

The only change that has come in the second semester has been a switch to making every Friday, at least for the next two months, virtual. Every parent knew this was coming. We all saw the writing on the wall. There was far too much travel and meeting with people outside of personal bubbles over the holiday break. Then COVID case numbers started to soar. We just figured it was a matter of time. Today is the second virtual Friday of the quarter, and it has been okay. It is kind of a throw away day, but work does get done. For example, they only have one Zoom, and it is in the morning. I'm not too terribly pleased with this. My son is the type who's mind will wander. I kind of have to stay on him to get his other work done after his 30 minute meeting. It is a bit reminiscent of last year when we had to suddenly shift to virtual, and no one had any idea how to pull it off. The beginning of the school year was much better when we went fully virtual for nine weeks, but they had a whole summer to prepare. The idea to shift now seemed like an inevitable one, but I also feel like there could have been a little bit better of a game plan. One Zoom in the morning is not enough. But all in all, we are all figuring this out and adapting.

This is as weird a school year as I hope we will ever have. I don't think many people have wanted their kids school year to be part time, or fully virtual, but here we are. I am lucky and grateful that we have been able to send both of my kids back this year, and if that means we have to spend one day virtual, so be it. My hat is off to the school district. They have done everything better than I could have expected. It is a weird and wild year, but we are getting through it together.

Ty

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

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I Run. I Fall.

When winter comes around, that is my favorite time to trail run. I have always liked trail running, but something about winter, with colder temperatures, less people and some snow cover, it is very nice, and very fun. I also feel a little freer when running on trails in winter. I am a cautious runner, but something about rocks and tree roots being covered with leaves and the occasional snowfall, I let myself go a little more. I am still wary and I still pay almost too close attention, but when things are covered, I will let myself go a little further than normal.

With all that being said, I do fall even more, especially when the ice and snow turns to water, making the trail muddy and slippery. I had one such instance this morning on my trail run. Kirk and I started running together years ago, and we still get together now once a week, masked, and we go on a trail run. We do this pretty much every Thursday, and I love it. Running with my buddy is great for my mental health, it is nice to see someone outside my bubble once in a while and Kirk tends to make me push myself, which I need from time to time. But, I do fall quite a bit. Last Sunday I tripped on a ton of tree roots. A few weeks back, I rolled my ankle on some rocks. These things happen.

Today I fell twice. The first time wasn't all that bad. I took a corner a bit too tight, I tried to slow down, but I slipped on some mud and fell on my side. It was a bummer, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I got wet and muddy, but it's not like this hasn't happened a bunch. I assumed this would be the only time I would fall today. I was wrong. Sometimes on our trail runs I have had to ditch my glasses. I breathe heavy, and with the cold adding to it, my glasses fog up, and it is like I am running blind. It is actually better when I take my glasses off. I pay closer attention and am more aware of my surroundings. I need to start wearing my contacts again, which I plan on doing for my race on Saturday. But today I just didn't have the time to get my contacts in. I have to get my kids ready for the day, I usually do laundry, I make lunches and snacks, and if I am lucky enough, I can use the restroom before leaving. Today was one of those days, but I had no time for the contacts. So, after I had the first fall, and removing my glasses, I tried to be extra careful. But I am on a tapering schedule, and that means slowing down to almost a hike when I feel tired. At one of these moments, as soon as I started to slow from a run to a hike, I tripped on a rock that I couldn't see, and I fell chest first into the ground. The ground I fell into today was slippery, muddy and covered with a bunch of rocks. I hopped up right away. Kirk stopped and asked if I was okay. I felt fine right after the fall. I got up, made a fist to make sure I hadn't broken anything, and proceeded to continue the run. To Kirk's credit, he kept making sure I was good. I felt fine enough to run, so I did. But I noticed that my knee felt scraped. Then I checked my hands. The left one was fine, with one little scratch. But the right hand, I messed that one up. I couldn't tell at the time. I literally rubbed mud on the cut, covered it with my raincoat and continued to run. After half a mile I checked my hand, and it was definitely bleeding. Blood had made its way from the bottom of my hand to the top. I rubbed more mud on it, covered it up again, and finished the run. As soon as I got in my car, I put some sanitizer on it. That hurt like hell. But it immediately started to feel better. I then came home, cleaned up and bandaged the cut. This is one of the pre requisites, I believe, as a trail runner. You have to, at least once a year, get a nice cut on a trail run. It is like a right of passage. It is like a birthday, because it happens every year. I knew it was coming soon. I figured Saturday, what with it being a night race. But, I guess I got it out of the way today. And, even after saying all this, I will still trail run every week. I prefer it. It is so much more fun and way more technical.

Trail running rules. And even if that means scrapes that turn into deep cuts sometimes, so be it. I will never stop trail running. They will have to drag me off those trails.

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "WandaVision"

"WandaVision" might be one the best new shows to ever be on TV. I was going to watch this show no matter what. I am a Marvel fan, I like most of the movies, I fully believe that Marvel is better than DC and they have done some interesting stuff these past couple years. I like the direction they have gone with the "Thor" movies, "Guardians of the Galaxy" is super cool and most of the "X-Men" movies, especially "Logan", are pretty awesome. So I just assumed that "WandaVision" was going to be, at the very least, watchable.

It is so much more than that. This show is one of the coolest, most unique and interesting things that TV has ever produced. I will not spoil anything, at least not try to, moving forward. When I read about the show I was intrigued. Then I saw some trailers, very short trailers, I was even more on board. Then this past weekend, me, my wife and our son decided we were going to watch all four episodes that have been released. These four episodes are amazing. I love the concept of the show. My son was confused as to why the first episode was in black and white. We explained to him that TV back in the 50's was all black and white. Oh, by the way, the show is done like old school TV sitcoms. The first episode was the 50's, then the 60's, then the 70's. The fourth was where they shifted, to modern times, and that was one of the best, and most essential, episodes in modern TV. Wanda and Vision are barely in it, but we get a look at what is going on in the outside world, the real world.

Prior to the fourth episode though, we have been given three very cool, very eye opening stuff. I also think there have been plenty of easter eggs dropped in so far. I am not totally up on all the stuff I am sure I am missing, but knowing Marvel, they are dropping stuff in left and right. Anyway, in that first episode, we have the 50's set. Wanda and Vision live in a town called Westfield, and they are just trying to be everyday citizens. They still have their powers, but otherwise, Vision has a job, Wanda makes friends around the neighborhood, and they are trying to live a "normal" life. But weird things start to come up. There are moments when you can hear people talking to Wanda. There are splashes of color in the premiere. There are things that come up that make it seem like this world may not be real. That continues into the second and third. More and more things happen, but it is all underscored by some wild things that are happening. Wanda keeps hearing these voices. She keeps seeing things that make her snap. She suddenly gets pregnant out of nowhere. Vision is starting to ask questions. He wants to understand what is going on. The people in the town seem to be in on some weird plotline that we haven't been cued into yet. Speaking of the neighbors, Kathryn Hahn is really, really good on this show, and I am stoked to see where they take this character. I'm also very interested in what is going to happen next, after the fourth episode. A bunch of stuff came to light in that one, and it is going to make for a very interesting close to the first season.

I do hope they continue to make more and more because this, as I have said before, is one of the coolest TV shows ever created. This is showing how smart and interesting and willing to take chances the Marvel company is right now with the properties they have. I like this show more than the last two "Avengers" movies, which I love. I am more interested in the outcome of this season than I was for the season one finale of "The Good Place". which is one of the best finales ever. "WandaVision" has so, so much potential, they are realizing it early, which is great, and I am just so pumped to watch from here on out. Check out this show, you will not be disappointed. This show is truly, truly amazing.

Ty

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

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Thoughts on the Latest "Big" NFL Trade

As most of you know by now, Jared Goff was traded to the Lions, plus a slew of picks, and the Rams picked up Matthew Stafford. Today I’m going to share my thoughts on what happened.

I have read many things since the trade happened over the weekend. People have called this a "blockbuster", they have picked the winners of the trade, they have said how this will transform both teams, Goff has said he is excited to "be where he is wanted", and apparently Stafford was willing to go anywhere but the Patriots.

All of this, to me, is pure noise. I do not buy any of the hype being tossed around this trade. I do not view it as a blockbuster. In fact, I do not think either team got any better or any worse. Minus the picks the Lions got, this trade is about as milquetoast as trades come in the NFL. The two QB's that were traded for each other are pretty much the same player. I do think that Stafford is better, but not by that much. Stafford also gets injured a lot, and it is not like the Rams have anyone even near Calvin Johnson's level. When Stafford had Johnson on his team, he could just chuck it up and Johnson would go get it. I think we have seen the real Stafford the past couple years. He is not as skilled as I, and many others thought when he was the first pick overall. He also has some very happy feet in the pocket, and is not mobile at all. The Rams also do not have Todd Gurley anymore, their O line is kind of mediocre and the tight ends are very blah. The Rams win now with defense, and that is why I do not think Stafford changes this team much, if at all. The Rams have two of the best defenders in the game in Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. Donald may be the best player in the NFL, and Ramsey is about as lockdown as they come. He is, probably, the best corner in the league. Stafford may be able to chuck a long ball, and he may mesh well with Sean McVay, but I still do not see them being any better than 9-7 or 10-6. They will still be a bubble playoff team, they may even win a playoff game like they did this year, but it will not be because they added Stafford. They will win because Sean McVay is a very good coach, and that defense is top notch. Stafford doesn't move the needle.

As for Goff and the Lions, this does absolutely nothing to change the fact that they will not win anymore than 6, maybe 7 games. I also think, especially if he didn't like McVay, that Goff will not like Dan Campell. I know I already don't like him and his weird tough guy act. I am also very curious to see how he works in a system that isn't so placated to his skill set. He is going to have to make plays, to do some stuff that extends plays, to make things unexpected happen. He isn't that type of player. He is as system as they get. He didn't get paid because he was some otherworldly QB when the Rams made the Super Bowl. He got paid because Sean McVay made him look like a top tier QB. He doesn't have a staff that is going to tailor a game plan to his skills. He also has less weapons now than he had in LA. I think the Lions best receiver is Kenny Golladay. He isn't bad, but he isn't great. The Lions also haven't had a real run game since Barry Sanders retired. And their defense isn't anywhere close to the top of the league. The only thing that the Lions really got out of this deal is a bunch of future picks. That is what teams crave now. But Jared Goff doesn't make them an instant contender. They aren't better than Green Bay. The Bears have a better defense. And the Vikings cannot be worse than they were last season. Add in all the other NFC teams, including the Rams, and the Lions are still in that rebuilding phase.

I do not see this as some blockbuster or some shift in the league. This is just a common trade for two very similar, not exciting, old school NFL QB's.

Ty

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

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RIP Dustin Diamond

Earlier today I was outside with my daughter while she rode her wheel cart and RD texted me, "pour one out for Screech".

I was surprised, to say the least. I knew he was sick. I knew a few weeks back they had rushed him to the hospital and it was kind of a secret as to what was going on. Then it was released that he had stage 4 lung, or maybe throat, cancer. But by all accounts, as of less than two weeks ago, he seemed to be in recovery. Everyone around him said he was doing chemo, and they had hoped it was working.

Apparently it did not. I guess, from what I have read since receiving that text, was that the cancer was very dangerous and that it spread very quickly throughout his whole body. His reps said that the only good thing to come from this was that he died fast and wasn't in a "pool of pain". That sounds brutal to me.

Now that I have had a couple of hours to sit on this info, and I even talked to my wife about it, it feels pretty goddamn weird to be writing, basically, a "tribute" to Dustin Diamond. He was an actor, as a child, that I adored. I watched "Saved by the Bell" pretty religiously as a kid. I didn't get up to watch on Saturday's when it first aired, but syndication was my jam. I would watch it for two hours some days, if I was lucky enough to catch the TNT and TBS blocks. I devoured the show in my tweens, and even into my teens and early 20's. I know every episode from the four high school seasons, I can quote most of them, and Screech was probably my favorite character, at least as a kid. He made me laugh, he was goofy, he dressed wild and he was smart. I even thought he was kind of cool, and I loved his pursuit of Lisa. As I got older, and still watched the show, maybe even more so when RD and I lived together, I saw it with different eyes, but Screech was still the funniest. Only this time around I laughed at him, and then realized that I had been laughing at him even when I was a kid. He was the main character that got dumped on by everyone on the show. He was the butt of the jokes. Even when he would get the girl, or do something helpful, it was always backhanded, or made out as a joke. Screech wasn't this funny, smart kid I looked up to on the show as a child. He was the nerd, the doofus, the one everyone made fun of. I still stuck with him, even going so far as to wear Zubaz pants when RD and I had a day we dedicated to Screech. But as I look back on it now, Screech wasn't cool, he was the dork, point blank. I very sparingly watched the "College Years", and I think I only saw maybe a handful of "The New Class", but it was more of the same with Screech. He never really evolved on the show.

After “Saved By the Bell” his personal life became more of the thing, and he did not seem like the best person in the world. He released a sex tape, which he later said he used a "double" for the sex. Okay, whatever. Then he wrote a tell all book, which he then confessed was written by a ghost writer, and half, if not more, of the stories were false. That's kind of pathetic. Then he went the reality show route, and he was always cast, or trying to be, the villain. It didn't work, and he couldn't pull it off. Anytime he got into it with someone, I would always say, "Screech is about to get his ass kicked". This is partly him, for being an asshole, but me also, for typecasting him in my head as Screech. He never changed from the character I watched growing up, so that was who he always was to me, and a lot of other people. The nail in the coffin was when he was in a bar fight that involved a stabbing, and he was arrested and put in jail for, I believe, three years. That wiped any, of which there may have been none, respect that I had left for Dustin Diamond. It all went out the window, and it seemed that way with his former castmates, and even some friends he had made. I know he did a tell all thing with Oprah Winfrey in 2013 where he tried to clean things up, and did a similar thing with Mario Lopes three years later, but the damage had been done, and he was, quite frankly, a dirtbag in my opinion.

Yet it is a bummer when someone dies so young. He didn't get COVID or anything like that either. This wasn't because he was being careless. He unfortunately got a very serious form of cancer that cut his life way, way too short. I know I have been dumping on him this whole blog, but that is a crummy way for a person to go out. Yes he wasn't a good person, but he wasn't some kind of monster that did awful things to people. All of his harm was self inflicted. So while I do not feel about him like I did with Kobe Bryant, or someone I truly adore like MF Doom, it is still a shock and a bummer when someone I watched growing up dies so young. He was only six years older than me. That is crazy.

RIP Dustin Diamond. You lived a wild and crazy life, but Screech will live on forever, and I guess you made the most of your time here.

Ty

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

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Thoughts On Doing An In Person Racing

One week from tomorrow I will be doing my first in person race since the pandemic started. I have very mixed feelings about this. I am excited, but also scared and don't know if I am truly, fully trained for this specific race. I have also grappled with my decision to attend. A few months ago I was sure that I was going to opt out, but after much conversation, and another month to sit on it, and a ton of reading about safety protocols, rolling start times, the number of participants and all the intense new rules, I decided I was going to do it.

The race is called the Beulah 963. The 963 is the important part here. This is an ultra race. I have never done an ultra before. I came close in 2019, when I did a trail half marathon, but I still consider that a half, not an ultra. The difference here is the amount of time involved. You can pick to do 9 hours, 6 hours or 3 hours, hence the 963. I opted for the 3 hour portion, but I know a friend doing 9, and one of his friends is doing 6. This was a big selling point for me to actually stay in this race. My buddy that is doing the 9 hours said that the number of participants will be very small by the time I get there. He is starting at noon, I do not start until 6pm. So, along with the shortened number of allowed participants, and the people that may or may not be dropping out, I would be shocked if there were more than 20-30 total runners when I get there. We also have packet pick up 15 minutes before start time, enough time to get my bib on and my hydration pack, and then we have rolling start times. We are also not allowed to congregate in big groups prior, not to worry for me since I am going solo, and we all must be masked when we start. They said you can take your mask off, or pull it down when there are no runners within 10 feet, but since it is a night race in February, I will just be keeping mine on the whole time. Not only will it protect me from anyone who may be asymptomatic or sick, but my balaclava will keep my face warm enough that my beard won't freeze, and I won't be breathing in cold air the whole time. I also very much appreciate that we all have to be masked at the start or else we are disqualified, and when we cross the finish line for each lap, we must be masked. We also have to be masked going to and from our cars, where we have a dedicated parking lot for all racers. I also read that we have the option to do as much or as little as we prefer. Again, we all signed up for a certain time frame, but this is a looped trail. We are on the same loop for about 4 miles, maybe a little more. So in essence, and I have done this trail on my own and with a buddy, the loop takes me about 40 to 45 minutes. It will probably take a little longer since it will be dark, I do have a lit vest and a headlamp, but still. So say it takes me 50 minutes to get one loop in, I still have as long as a 10 minute break, if I want. And at these breakpoints, masks are required, no congregating, no tent set up and no bag drop off. So it is basically just a rest area if we feel tired before going on the loop again. So if I get tired after two loops, and it takes me two hours, that is my finishing time. Just because I signed up for 3 hours doesn't mean I have to do 3 hours. It is up to 3 hours. I am going to try my best to get 3 loops in, I would like to get as close to a half marathon as possible, but if I get too gassed, or feel uncomfortable for any reason, I could leave after a lap. I like that rule. My buddy who is doing the 9 hours is determined to get all 9 in, and I think he will, but I bet by the time I get there, he will be pretty sore, and some other people who signed up for that time will have dropped by 6pm.

All this being said, I am still a little scared. I have not done an in person race since March of 2020. The last one I did was one week before Missouri shut everything down. But, after reading the safety guidelines, talking to friends and family to get their opinion, and reading about other runs on the running sites I am a part of, I feel as comfortable as one can during this crazy time we live in. I will obviously recap the race the weekend after I do it, but with it a week away, I wanted to explain to everyone why, now, I decided to actually do it. I'm scared, but also excited. Just as I should be before any race I do.

Ty

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

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The Greatest American Music: Talking Heads "(Nothing But) Flowers"

As you all know, last year I became enamored with Talking Heads. That has obviously shifted into the new year, and I am still playing plenty of their music at home, in the car and when I go running. By now I have heard every album at least twice. Some I listen to more, others less. The one I listen to the least is "Naked". It, for me, is a very discombobulated album. It is kind of all over the place. One minute it sounds like their classic stuff, then the next song is totally different, and seems like it shouldn't be on the record. It is a strange record

One song, the most famous one on the album by a mile, "(Nothing But) Flowers", that is an amazing song. It is pure Talking Heads, it has great vocals from Byrne, and the band is top notch. I wish the whole album was like this. What I love most about the song is the lyrics. In my many listens recently I have been paying more and more attention to the lyrics, and "(Nothing But) Flowers" has some of the best they've ever written. I also love the message of the song, and it kind of sounds like a place I would like to visit, if only it were real.

The song starts off very simple, ostensibly telling us about Adam and Eve, and how Byrne and the person he is talking about are them in this vision they wrote about. But it shifts pretty quick from so long ago to talking about how cars have no more gasoline. It puts the listener right back into the current world, or the world of the 80's when this song was written. The very next, very short verse is one of my all time favorites. After the Adam and Eve story, and cars being gone, Byrne sings, "there was a factory/now there are mountains and rivers/you got it you got it". I LOVE this ideal. There are far, far too many factories, especially now. Factories seem to go up yearly in the US, and they replace land that was covered with mountains, rivers, trees, grass, wildlife, all of these things and so much more. I kind of wish that there weren't so many factories. I want more mountains and rivers. The next part of the chorus is about them catching a rattlesnake and saying they have something for dinner. Again, the band is going back to ruffage and survival mode. I, again, like this idea. I am not big on hunting, I think it is quite barbaric in fact. But if you have to do it for sustenance, then it makes sense to me. That is what I envision this couple using hunting for. They may not want to, but to survive, they have to. Then we get the best part of the song to me, "there was a shopping mall/now it's all covered with flowers/you got it, you got it". I am seeing shopping malls go down left and right, and if they were covered in flowers, that would be beautiful. Unfortunately we do not get to see what it could grow into because when a mall goes down, they usually build some kind of factory in its place. I prefer the nature idea. Then the song takes a turn in the final part of the chorus. After saying all these things I think are wonderful and cool and would like to see, Byrne sings "if this is paradise/I wish I had a lawnmower/you got it, you got it". I mean, I get that grass needs to be mowed, but I feel like Talking Heads have made up this utopian type of forest life, then bam, they want it gone. I disagree with this, but it is another reason I like this song. The Talking Heads never ceases to amaze me with their writing, and this is a perfect example. They give us this wonderful, idealistic world, at least to me, and then smash it, saying they want it gone.

From here on out the song just gets better and better. In verse two Byrne talks about being an angry young man and pretending he was a billboard on the side of the road. He then tells us he fell in love with a road that used to be real estate which has now shifted to fields and trees. Again, my ideal version of a town. He goes on to say that the town used to be highways and cars, but it is now "sacrificed" for agriculture. He finishes up the second verse with, "I thought we'd start over/but I guess we were wrong". I love this. It is just like the chorus. I get this beautiful picture in my head of a former bustling city being turned into a tree and leaf covered forest. But then Bryne says he just figured they'd make more of the same, but he realizes he was wrong, but he still doesn't want the forest stuff that I do. The second chorus is to the same tune of the first, but it has different mentions. The Pizza Hut's have now all been covered with daisies and the honky tonks, Dairy Queens and 7-Eleven's are now all gone. I think that rules. We don't need all that convenience so easily available. I would like to see less stores and restaurants and more forest and greenery and wildlife. But Byrne almost opines for these things that are now gone. I don't. I think this world they have built up so far sounds awesome. It sounds like a place I want to see.

The band ends the song dreaming of cherry pies, chocolate chip cookies and candy bars. They used to microwave, but now they just eat nuts and berries. The discount store has turned into a cornfield. Again, I would miss these same things for a minute, but I feel like the alternate version they are posing, I could get used to rather quickly, especially the nuts and berries. I would love to do that. The final lyrics are the ultimate turn on this world they created that I love. Byrne sings, to end the song, "don't leave me stranded here/I can't get used to this lifestyle". I, again, disagree. Humans are so adaptable, and I love the world they created. I love the idea of a forest covered landscape, scourging for food, living like people used to in the old days. That sounds idyllic to me.

"(Nothing But) Flowers" is a classic Talking Heads song for a myriad of reasons. Number one for me, the place they have created, the one that Byrne doesn't want to be stranded in, sounds like Utopia to me. That is why I love this song so much. It talks about replacing all the stuff we don't need with stuff that would be so much better, and then the band gets all upset realizing they might have to live in a world like this. I would be stoked, and when I listen, I yearn for a world like the one they made up. It would be rad.

Ty

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

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A Reflection on the NBA One Year After the Death of Kobe

Yesterday, along with being my son's birthday, was the one year anniversary of Kobe Bryant's passing. He, along with seven other people, including his daughter Gigi, all perished in a helicopter crash.

It was tragic, it brought out a ton of feelings in me, and a year later I am still stunned. I had not thought of it until I listened to the Lowe Post, and Zach Lowe and Howard Beck spent the entire hour talking about it. It was a very interesting and enlightening listen.

Lowe made a statement, and it really rang true for me. He said it seems so long ago, but also so recent. He is right. Kobe did pass one year ago, but so much has happened since then. Personally I got, and had to give up, a dog. My kids advanced a grade in school. There is a new administration in DC. There was a riot at the Capitol. RD and I have done multiple pods. And there is still a deadly pandemic raging across the US and other countries. The pandemic kind of took over everything, as it should, less than two months after Kobe passed. We all kind of forgot because everything shut down. Almost every business, sports, jobs and schools shut down for months. We are still dealing with shut downs. Things reopened and shut down again. Sports have started and stopped and been postponed and rescheduled. I have not been to a movie theater or a restaurant in ten plus months. My kids spent the last part of last school year, and the beginning of this year, learning from home. We are switching to virtual Friday's this week in fact. I know a lot of other kids that have not been to school since March of 2020. My wife has been working from home since April. All of this, and so, so much more has happened, and is still happening, since Kobe passed. So when I listened to that pod, and sat with it, that was when it hit me. One year has already passed and is in the rearview since those eight people died last January.

Going from a strictly basketball perspective, looking at the game since Kobe passed, it has been crazy. The Lakers won the title, dedicated it to Kobe, but they won it in Orlando, in the "bubble". I don't think any of us saw that coming. Also, I am very curious how someone like Kobe would have reacted to the bubble. I think he would have gone the LeBron and Jimmy Butler route, and treated it as a business trip. But still, totally crazy. And now, with no fans at the games, and players being tested everyday, how would Kobe have dealt with all of this? Again, I think he would have treated it like he did everything else on the court, with an addicted obsession, and probably crushed everyone else. So it is interesting to me to see who is thriving, and who is not doing so great with the bubble and the new season. Guys like LeBron, and Dame and Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Giannis and AD, they have all thrived. That is because they have adopted that "Mamba Mentality", and they don't let this stuff affect their game. They treat it like business, and when the playoffs roll around, they will be the ones ready to go. But we have some of these younger guys, guys that were born in the late 90's and early 2000's, that are struggling because they didn't get to see prime Kobe. They only saw him at the end, when he was on a bad Lakers team, and he was jacking up 30 shots a game. I think that says a lot about his influence on the modern game. The guys who looked up to him, who watched him when they were young, the ones who wanted to emulate him, they are the ones that are thriving. I was not a Kobe fan, but he was a great, obsessed and singularly focused individual on the basketball court. That was what made him so great, and so infuriating as a watcher of the NBA.

Kobe is gone, but his legacy will forever live on, you can see it in today's players and games and it will be there for sometime now. RIP Kobe, and the other passengers. You will never be forgotten.

Ty

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

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An Amazing Nine Years With My Son

Today is an ode to my son. He turned 9 at midnight, and I am still a little in shock by that. I feel like he was just a baby a year or so ago. I remember bringing him home from the hospital, and how scared and unsure and happy I was. I drove my old car at about 40 miles an hour on the highway because I had this tiny human who I helped to create in the back seat. I had this life that me and my wife are now responsible for forever. He is now almost a tween, and it blows my mind.

My son has also changed so much in his short life so far. As a baby he was easy. He was a sound sleeper, a great eater and didn't really cause too much trouble. He would only get upset if he needed a diaper change or if he was hungry. It was pretty simple looking back on it now. When he was a toddler it was more of the same. I got him potty trained without much of a struggle. I started to stay home with him very early on in his toddler days. We made new friends together and we figured all this new stuff out as a dynamic duo. I am still friends with a few other stay at home dads I met during this time as well. And Miles is still friends with their kids. Then as he got to be 5 and 6, he started to get interested in sports, mainly baseball. He is naturally gifted, he seems to have fun playing the game and he still plays to this day. This was when I started to assistant coach so I could watch, and help him grow as a baseball player. He also decided to play basketball. He is good at this too, although we are still working on getting all the rules down. Then he started elementary school, and the person he has become these past three years seems to be who he will be for a good long time now.

He still loves baseball and basketball, but this kid is a gamer. He loves Breath of the Wild and Mario Kart. He will play other Zelda offshoot games. He likes to dip in and out of Smash Bros. He plays the Sonic Olympic game that came out last year. But his choice over all of these, the one game he wants to play, and is really good at, is Fortnite. This kid is a Fortnite monster. He plays it daily, he plays it as soon as he is done with his snack when he gets home from school, and he will spend a good amount of his weekend mornings playing online with his buddies. He adores this game. He talks about it all the time. He brings it up so much that I have to tell him from time to time, no more Fortnite talk for the day. I used to have to tell him to stop talking about other things, but now it is singularly Fortnite. But I love that he is so passionate about this game that he loves. When I was his age, it was all baseball all the time, so I get the passion. I understand it. I don't get the game, I have never played it, but I understand his love for it. I was the same way, just with a different thing.

Outside Fortnite though, Miles is about as easy, and good, as a kid can be. He is a very good student. He is a very lovable and helpful son and grandson and cousin and friend. He is goofy and funny. He likes to horse around. He likes to talk. He has passion. He is becoming a real person, not that he wasn't as a kid, but he is finding his niche in life. I have loved watching him grow up, and will continue to love it as he gets older and older. The way he is handling this pandemic is amazing. He is really taking it in stride. I know I sound like a doting parent, but I am, and when my kid is this easy to love, it is awesome.

Happy birthday Miles Man. I love you and I am excited to celebrate year 9 with you tonight.

Ty

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

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Ty Watches the NFC and AFC Title Games

Yesterday was a rough day for personal and sports reasons for myself. The personal stuff is none of your damn business, but the sports stuff, I am here to talk about it.

The Super Bowl is set. We have the Bucs and the Chiefs facing off in two weeks. If the Bills had won, this would have been the most white trash Super Bowl of all time, but the Chiefs saved us from that.

The Chiefs proved how good they truly are. Buffalo was hot, they were the darling team, they even took a lead, just like the Titans last year, and then Patrick Mahomes decided enough was enough, and he was spectacular. He is the best QB in the game right now, and it isn't even close. ESPN went as far to give Buffalo the "advantage" at QB prior to the game, and I think word got back to, not only Mahomes, but the Chiefs defense. Mahomes, as I said, was awesome. The Chiefs D might have been better. They suffocated and harassed and pretty much, for them, dominated the Bills "explosive" offense. They shut down Josh Allen too. Outside of the first drive, he was very mediocre. The Bills run game was pretty much non-existent and Stefon Diggs was blanketed all game. And after that first drive, on the Chiefs next five drives, they scored, or knelt on the ball to go to halftime. Mahomes was finding all of his receivers, the O line was stout and the run game did just enough, basically what they ask of them every game, and the Chiefs won going away. It wasn't as close as the final score suggested. The Chiefs made easy work of the Bills, they looked dominant, and they should be the favorites going into the Super Bowl.

The NFC title game was a different story. Green Bay was bad, especially in the first half. They could not stop the Bucs. To give up a TD like they did to end the first half is something that should never, ever happen. To fumble on the opening drive of the second half and let the Bucs score immediately was brutal. To give up so many third down conversions, that is inexcusable. I would not be surprised, and no one else should, if Mike Pettine is let go today. But Green Bay did make it a game. After going down 28-10, they scored on their very next drive, then picked off Brady and scored again. They missed a 2 point conversion, but still, they cut an 18 point lead to 5 going into the fourth quarter. Then it was a slog. Brady threw two more picks, but the Packers never capitalized. They punted both times. The Packers run game never materialized. But still, they had a chance. The Bucs did add a late field goal to push their lead to 8, but Green Bay got the ball, and they put together a drive. But, and I will never understand this decision, decided to kick a field goal just before the 2 minute warning. They cut the lead back to five, they did have all three timeouts, but still, why did LaFleur decide to kick? I don't know that I will ever understand this decision. It was a bad call in my opinion, and I said as much as I watched the game unfold. But, and this is where I got really pissed off, the PI call on 3rd and 8 against the Packers was a bad, bad call. The whole game the refs were letting both teams be very aggressive with the receivers. Both teams were grabbing and pulling and locking arms, and the refs were letting it go. They called it like this all game, until Tom Brady and the Bucs needed a call, on a pass that was very clearly uncatchable, with about a minute and some change left. This gave Tampa the first down, they were able to run out the clock, and the Packers were left with another unfulfilling season, and Tom Brady gets to go back to the Super Bowl, which just happens to be in Tampa this season. Look, I am not a Tom Brady fan, I know he went to Michigan, but outside a very few former Wolverines, I don't really follow them when they get to the pros. But, I have also never really bought into the whole conspiracy that the NFL wants Tom Brady to be in the Super Bowl. But man was it hard to see that call, then realize where the Super Bowl is being played, not to buy into some of that. Green Bay did not deserve to win. They played awfully. But, to leave it up to the refs, to give Tampa a call when they hadn't all game, I mean, it is hard not to think that, in some very, very small way, that the NFL wants their golden boy to be on the big stage. I mean, think of the stories that the major media will get to write for the next two weeks.

The game is a home game for the Bucs. Brady leaves New England, goes to the NFC and Tampa and leads them to yet another Super Bowl appearance for him, his tenth. Brady is 43 years old. He and Gronk are teammates again. That is so much more salacious and click worthy than Green Bay facing the Chiefs. The only real story if that was the outcome would be a rematch of Super Bowl One. But now ESPN and Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report get to write about all the stuff I said, plus a matchup of the GOAT, and the up and coming usurper to the GOAT. I mean, I will watch the game because it is the Super Bowl, but boy will I be rooting for a Chiefs blowout. I am bored and sick and tired of all the Brady nonsense. I am sure I sound like a sour fanboy today, but I do not care. Again, Green Bay did not deserve to win, but it should not have been decided by the refs on a call that they hadn't made all game.

Anyway, if you all want a prediction, I am picking the Chiefs to win, but do not be surprised if Brady and the Bucs get some kind of miraculous late call in a close game that gives them the win. I'm just saying. Go Chiefs.

Ty

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

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RIP Hank Aaron

Hank Aaron passed away today at 86. By all accounts he passed peacefully in his sleep. That seems like the ideal way to go out for such a great person.

Hank Aaron is, and always will be, the home run king in my eyes. In fact, I am sure he’s the home run king in most people’s eyes. Aaron did it without the help of PED’s, he had to do it in a very racist filled era, he had the longevity to do it and he did it with class. Hank Aaron was the epitome of class. I will always remember the video I saw when he broke Babe Ruth’s record, and that guy ran on the field to congratulate him, Aaron didn’t push him away or try to get him removed, he patted him on the back. He was just such a good guy.

Aaron was also never this “home run” hitter. I mentioned his longevity, he played for 22 years. He hit 40 plus home runs only six times. He had plenty of seasons with 30 or more, but nothing like we saw in the steroid era, or since. He was a solid average hitter too. He was pretty much a .300 plus hitter every season until his last two. He got on base a lot. He was a solid fielder. He played the entire game, and he played it great. He is a well deserved hall of fame player. He more than earned it. He never won a World Series, but he did win an MVP in 1957. He was a 19 time all star. He won two batting titles. He led the league in home runs and RBI’s four times. And he was a two time gold glove winner. That’s one hell of a resume.

When you separate the person from the game, Aaron was a complete class act. He did everything with grace. He never crossed the line with celebrations. He would hit a home run and just simply run the bases. He was a consummate teammate. He was honored with a Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was asked by countless people, including my Wolverines football, to come and speak or be an honorary captain or just pass down some wisdom. He’s an icon to old and new players. It’s clear he was so loved, and that he loved baseball. Hank Aaron was one of the good ones. This was a guy that my dad would show me because he wanted me to conduct myself like Aaron did on the field. My dad does not have a bad thing to say about him. My mom adored him. RD was a fan, as were my other brothers. This, and everything I wrote about above, are why I respect and admire and look up to Hank Aaron.

Hand Aaron will be forever remembered. He will be forever loved. Now he gets to rest. I’ll miss him, and so will many others. At least we have the memories and the old sports clips. Rest In Peace Hank Aaron.

Ty

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

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