Ty Watches "One Battle After Another"

I was able to get out yesterday with a buddy of mine and see "One Battle After Another". Let’s discuss.

I am a Paul Thomas Anderson fan. I have seen pretty much all of his movies to this point. I have not watched "Phantom Thread", "Licorice Pizza" or "Hard Eight". Every other movie of his, I can check off my list, and "There Will Be Blood" is my favorite of his, and one of my favorite movies of all time. By design I avoided any news of "One Battle After Another" besides watching one preview. I didn't want to read anything or know anything going into the movie. I did see that it was getting great reviews, but I made sure to read zero of them. That's why I'm glad that I went to see it on opening weekend. I think I may have spoiled it for myself had I not seen it this weekend. I will go about my review spoiler free because I feel like this is a movie that everyone needs to see, and if you can swing it, go see it in a theater with other people. Now, onto the review.

This movie is as good as the critics have been saying it is. I had super high expectations going in and they were all exceeded. This is one of the best movies I have seen in quite some time. After sleeping on it, I do believe that this movie jumps ahead of both "Sinners" and "Weapons" as my favorite movie of the year. It is a true work of art. I feel like PTA is at the top of his game in this movie. He has complete control over everything he is doing and it shows on screen. There's one scene with a car chase that is an incredible thing to see on screen. The acting in this movie is tremendous from everyone involved. Leonardo Dicaprio gives my favorite performance of his ever. He is funny and rundown and I found myself rooting for him throughout. Chase Infiniti is a total revelation. I believe this is her first movie and she does an amazing job. Teyana Taylor gives a gripping performance in her role. I didn't know much of her, but damn is she great here. Sean Penn is evil incarnate and he does some of his best work ever. I was watching him and this performance reminded me of how great an actor he is. James Downey, former "SNL" writer and Adam Sandler collaborator, plays a very menacing role which is totally different for him. Regina Hall continues to prove how reliable an actor she can be. She is so moving and gives the viewer some wonderful acting to watch. Benecio Del Toro is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors, and the calm demeanor he shows in this role was much needed and a breath of fresh air. And the rest of the actors in bit roles do the most they can with the small amount of screen time they may have. The story is haunting and relevant. The writing is top notch. The acting, as previously mentioned, is the cream of the crop. I truly loved everything about this movie. The runtime is 2 hours 41 minutes, and it felt like the time flew by. I could have watched a few hours more and been totally happy.

"One Battle After Another" is why I love the movies. The fact that a movie like this is being made, in our current climate, makes me hopeful for the future and proves that unique content can still be made. I cannot recommend this movie enough. I want everyone to go see it and then have a conversation about it afterwards. It truly is the movie of the year. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Better Late Than Never on "Minority Report"

I've clearly been in a movie watching mood lately, and that has meant a good amount of reviews, and today is no different. During this movie watching buffet, I watched "Minority Report". Let’s discuss.

RD has talked about this movie since it came out. He has always been a fan. I don't know why I never saw it until yesterday. I think I had some weird issue with Colin Farrell, and I maybe had an issue with another Phillip K Dick short story being made into a movie. I also always seem to hesitate when it comes to Tom Cruise movies. I like some stuff he does, but the whole Sciencetology thing and his off screen persona has always kind of rubbed me the wrong way. But, I had time, I remembered the things RD has said about this movie and I usually enjoy Steven Spielberg directed movies.

"Minority Report" is awesome. Having never seen this movie before, the story and graphics and acting all totally hold up. The direction and acting is top notch as well. What intrigued me most about this movie was the idea of a pre-crime unit within the police. I'm not the biggest fan of the police, but this idea of being able to stop murders before they happen was thought provoking to me. I also really like the way the actors in the movie are constantly questioning if this is a good or bad thing too. That shows me that they have a good story to go off, and that the writers of the movie appreciate and pay good homage to the source material. I like that the precogs would see these things, say some of the things that are said during the crime and that they give you the name of the perpetrator and victim. Cruise is great as the chief of this unit. He is clearly great at his job, but he also has issues. He uses future drugs. He has some demons he needs to fight. But when he is on the job he is legit. The first scene, where his unit stops a potential crime, was awesome to watch. I knew they were going to stop it, but I was on the edge of my seat while I watched. Colin Farrell plays the new young gun in the crew that has a ton of questions. He does a fine job here. It proves my point that, when given proper direction and well written dialogue, he can do some solid work. That is why his current career is so rewarding for me as a fan. He is good here too. When he got shot, I was stunned. And even though I was supposed to look at him as the bad guy in the beginning, I felt kind of bad for him. He was just trying to do his job. He may have been too much of a go-getter, but he was simply doing his job. Max Von Sydow was wonderful too. He had such a great turn as the bad guy. There were moments when he would let his anger slip and that was always unsettling. I knew he was up to something, and when that turned out to be true, I felt like Max Von Sydow did his work as an actor. I grew to despise him all the way to the end. There are other actors in this movie, but let's not get it twisted, this is Cruise's movie through and through, and he does a bang up job throughout. There's a reason he is a legit movie star. When he fully gives in and lets go and lets the professionals he is working with do their jobs, he puts out great work like this.

"Minority Report" is a great sci-fi movie. I wished I had seen it sooner, but at least I finally found the time to watch it yesterday. I definitely recommend checking it out. It's awesome. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Better Late Than Never on "The Running Man"

Another old movie I recently saw for the first time the other day was "The Running Man". I'm really excited for the updated "Running Man" directed by Edgar Wright, so I wanted to see the original to get an idea of what I will be getting myself into. I fully understand that Edgar Wright is going to make a more competent and better looking movie, and that these two movies are based on an older Stephen King book, but I often opt for movie interpretations over books. I usually see the movie first and then read the book. I know that's backwards for some, but that's how I do it.

Anyway, I was pretty excited to watch the first "Running Man" movie. I have found that, since I'm older now, going back to 80's sci-fi action movies is a ton of fun. They're so broad and zany and funny and I have such a good time watching them now. I recently rewatched "Total Recall" and was so much more into it now than I was when I first saw it as a kid. I used to be weirdly scared of movies like that when I was a child, but now I truly adore them. I had this feeling going into "The Running Man". And this movie was everything I wanted it to be.

Right off the bat it is no wonder why Arnold Schwartzenegger was such a big action star back in the day. He didn't have to say much, he was hunky and strong and he knew that action was his genre. He is so watchable. This performance was so similar to his work in "Total Recall" and I loved that about it. Honestly, you could watch any action/sci-fi movie from this era starring Schwartzenegger and it is the same performance. He knew what to do, the writers knew how to write him and the directors just let him go off. It is perfect for the genre and era.

Maria Conchita Alonso gave a very good performance in this over the top movie. She added a levity and she wasn't on screen just to be a damsel in distress or a love interest for Schwartzenegger. She was tough and knew how to stand up for herself. When she pulled her hair back in a ponytail after being dropped into the game, you knew she was ready to fight. I loved it.

Some of the "stalkers", the people dropped into the game to hunt the contestants, were absolutely wild. We had a dude with an axe using it as a hockey stick. There was another guy with a saw who hung out with a guy that could sing and use electricity to their advantage. And then we had Jim Brown, Fireball, who could fly and had a gun that shot fire, and Jesse Ventura, the washed up "stalker" who thinks he can still play the game. These guys were sadistic and wild. They were also hilarious. Each had a pun that they would say, and when Shwartzenegger would end them, he made sure to tell them his own related pun. It was very funny.

And then we had Richard Dawson. I only remembered him from "Family Feud". He always creeped me out when I watched reruns of that show. It felt like he was groping every female contestant. That is pretty much what he did in this movie, but this time around he was allowed to curse. He was evil and insane and he gave a good performance. I read that many people said this was just him in real life, so I guess it was an easy role for him.

All in all this movie was so fun. I didn't realize how funny the movie was going to be, and it made me kind of miss when they did action movies like these. I hope, and am pretty certain that the new movie will bring all of the fun that the original had.

"The Running Man" is a great and fun watch. I cannot recommend this movie enough, especially if you watched them when you were younger. Go revisit this movie, it is one of the better ones out there. And it has me prepped for the new version. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

The UNC Bill Belichick Experiment is Not Working

Before the college football season started there was a group of stories that kept popping up on sports sites and tv shows. One such story was Bill Belichick taking over at UNC. Let’s discuss.

This was, at the time, a very big deal. Belichick won big time in the NFL. He is one of the most storied coaches to ever grace NFL sidelines. He then walked away from the Patriots, and I kind of thought that would be it for him. But I guess he had the itch to coach, or maybe his girlfriend wanted him to get out of the house more. Who knows. But, he took the UNC job after they let go of another hall of fame coach, Mack Brown.

I was kind of skeptical to begin with when Belichick took this job. I thought he would despise the modern college game. Recruiting and the like is so much different now. We have the transfer portal. College players are getting paid now. For all intents and purposes, college football is now the minor leagues for the NFL. I wrote something a while back, when Belichick took the job at UNC, about how the college coaching ranks are skewing younger. I feel like coaching college football is a young guys game now. You have to constantly be on the road. You have to sell your university more now. Freshman want the assurance of instant playing time. It's not like it was in the 80's, 90's and early 2000's anymore. The landscape has changed. But, Belichick was able to get some quality transfers. Ben Hall, a former Michigan running back, gets a ton of run at UNC. I thought I was going to have to eat crow on all of this.

And then opening night for UNC came and you would have thought the sports media was covering the damn Super Bowl. UNC got the primetime night game at home. Michael Jordan and Lawrence Taylor were highlighted in the crowd. All the talking heads, most notably ESPN, were all but crowning UNC and Belichick as the presumption champs in the ACC. I had no idea who they were even playing, TCU, until I turned on the broadcast. Every single one of the talking heads on ESPN picked UNC to win, and win fairly easily. Belichick was highlighted, they showed interviews with him and his partner, his kid on staff was talked up as a future head coach, it was all about Belichick. And then the game started. UNC drove right down the field and scored with ease. It looked like the hype was real. Then TCU woke up and proceeded to absolutely demolish UNC. After the first drive UNC could barely move the ball. TCU would go on to win the game 48-14, and it wasn't even that close. All the hype, the pomp and circumstance, the coronation was all but over.

It did look like the college game may have passed Belichick by. His old ways of winning games weren't going to work. He had to go back to the drawing board. UNC was lucky enough to have Charlotte as the next opponent. Charlotte has a new coaching staff and a bunch of new, young players. UNC should have rolled. They did win, by 17, but it didn't feel like the blowout it should have been. They did roll Richmond, who has scored a total of 34 points in three games thus far. But they won two in a row. Maybe they were turning things around. They were facing UCF last weekend, and they looked to be the favorite. UCF is also coming off a staff change and a bunch of new players. UCF proceeded to dominate. Early in the third quarter they were up 27-3. UCF ended up winning 34-9. UCF threw for 223 yards. They ran for 143 yards.They held UNC to 154 passing and 63 rushing yards. This was a blowout in every sense of the word. And it now looks like UNC is going to be irrelevant yet again.

I had kind of already written them off after week one to be honest. But Belichick is no longer the bell of the ball. Others are writing and talking about how this may not work out. I wouldn't be shocked to see mass transfers when the portal opens up again. I don't think his way of coaching works in the college ranks. I think he may be too old school for any level of football anymore. When I look at the rest of UNC's schedule, I see maybe two more wins. I think they can beat Stanford and maybe Wake Forest. Clemson needs a win badly, and UNC is in the way of that. NC State is solid. Syracuse looks legit. Cal and Virginia have more talent. And Duke has a very good QB. Those games are going to be difficult for Belichick and UNC.

I do think that this may be a short lived experiment, Bill Belichick coaching college football that is. Time will tell, but he seems in over his head, which is wild to say about such a prolific football coach. But he has not looked the part this far into the college season. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Ty Watches "Warfare"

I'm a fan of Alex Garland's work. "Ex Machina" is one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. I think about that movie a lot, and to me that is the sign of a modern day classic. "Devs" was hard to understand at times, but it was a very provocative and interesting show. I kind of appreciate that it only lasted one season. "Men" wasn't great, but it had its moments. And "Civil War" is one of the most harrowing modern war movies out there. All of this led me to his newest movie "Warfare".

I had heard about this movie before, but it slipped my mind. Now it is streaming on HBO Max, so I sat down and watched it last weekend. This is an intense, bleak and tough movie to watch. It is also very, very good. I thought that what they were able to achieve was pretty incredible. "Warfare" focuses on a group of Navy SEALs that embark on a dangerous mission during the Iraq war. The movie is told by the memories of the involved soldiers. I do not know if any dialogue used in the movie was written. I believe that they went with what the soldiers' memories told them. This is a very interesting and unique way to tell this story. This isn't an old war either. This war took place only 19 years ago. This is all still pretty fresh for these soldiers I'd have to imagine. So, getting to hear it being told from them is the best way to do something like this. The dialogue is very much military speak. They talk about locations and coordinates. I heard them ask for backup and help many times. They had people doing voice overs that were all about what they were seeing from their monitors in the sky. The whole "story" of this movie is the mission. There's no love story or anything like that. This movie is about the SEALs. We see them coordinate and work alongside one another. You get a sense of camaraderie and understanding. The soldiers know their jobs and they do them to the best of their ability. They work as a team and they do what is best for said team. Being a team sports kid growing up, seeing that method used in another aspect of life was pretty neat. I really liked how well they did their jobs. When the mission starts to get hairy and go awry, I read after the movie that this particular mission was one of the bloodiest in the war, the movie gets even more tense and anxiety riddled. But, seeing each member of the team continue to do what they had to do was very harrowing. Guys were brutally injured, important members of the team, and the next guy stood up and took their place. Guys who may be having panic attacks or were frozen by fear, they were pretty much forced to snap out of it and continue to get the help they needed. When other soldiers showed up to help, seeing them all work together was fascinating. But, make no mistake, this movie also wants us to see the brutal side of war. These were kids for all intents and purposes. They must have mostly been in their twenties. They must have PTSD, and will for the rest of their lives most likely. "Warfare" doesn't shy away from showing us the brutality that war has on the people fighting it. I said to my father when talking to him about this movie that it is the most realistic fiction movie I've ever seen. It felt like you were right there with these soldiers. I was terrified the whole time. I was tense while sitting on my couch and watching this movie.

I feel like "Warfare" should be required viewing for high school students. This is an important movie that shows all the ins and outs of war. I recommend everyone watch this movie. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Ty Watches “The Long Walk

This afternoon my dad and I were able to go out and see "The Long Walk". I went into this movie knowing very little about it. That was my goal. I read a few reviews that were spoiler free, and watched one trailer. I will keep this review as spoiler free as possible. But I wanted to go in cold. I wanted to let this movie wash over me and form my own opinion about it. I did also know that it was based on a Stephen King novel. Fun fact about me, I have only seen a few movies based on Stephen King books, and I have only read one of his books. But, I do like what he does and I agree with and enjoy his persona online. Stephen King seems like an ally and I like the work he does.

Anyway, "The Long Walk" was great. I told my dad afterward that I didn't want to say things like, "I liked what I saw" or "that was a fun movie" because, make no mistake, this movie is bleak. There are a few redeeming things in it though. They show the value of friendship and what the human body may be able to go through when faced with dire consequences. But this movie is intense and relentless.

The whole idea of the movie is you go to a thing called The Long Walk and you walk until you cannot anymore. There's only one winner and there's no finish line. That is it. But the way this story unfolds was pretty damn great. The friendships and bonds made along the way make this a movie worth visiting. The world created in the book and movie doesn't seem so crazy in times like these in America right now. This is a police state and a police run game that they're playing with these kids. My dad and I both agreed that this movie is akin to something they'd do on "Squid Game". The movie doesn't let up, and I think that's the point. The people who made this wanted to show how bleak and upsetting something like this could be if it were to come to fruition. The actors were incredible. The side characters do a great job of doing things that make me like and root for them during their time on screen. The creepy people watching them walk adds a real creepiness to the movie. The unnamed and zero dialogue police officers make it even scarier. But this is a star turn for Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson. These two are the two main guys in the movie and they do an amazing job. Hoffman has an idea going into this and he wants to win. But he also cares about his other contestants. He also shows the rigors that a contest like this can do to a person. He does a very good job of trying to be even keel while living through a nightmare. Jonsson is a revelation for me in this movie. I had never seen him in anything before today, and he is the true star of this movie. He does so much with his ample screen time. He is the good and the hope that this movie portrays. He is so easy to root for and I wanted nothing but good things for him. And he is never corny or saccharine. He tows the line perfectly every instant he is on screen, which is pretty much the majority of this movie.

I cannot recommend this movie enough. It ranks right up there with "Sinners" and "Weapons" for me. It is going to be on my year end best of list. "The Long Walk" is very much worth your time. Go see it. 

Ty 

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

UCLA's Loss was Tennessee's Gain

Today I want to talk about how the disaster at UCLA has been a positive for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Yesterday I mentioned UCLA and their new QB, Nico Iamalevea. Nico was a big time prospect two years ago. He was the talk of the college football world and he was going to help Tennessee stay relevant. They did make the playoff last season, but it was a quick exit. Then Nico and Tennessee had a messy breakup. It was very weird and didn't make a ton of sense to me. Nico seemed like a good fit for Tennessee and I figured he would only get better the next couple seasons under Josh Heupel. That didn't happen and he ended up at UCLA. As I wrote yesterday, that hasn't worked out so well for them. UCLA is 0-3, Nico seems flustered and inconsistent and the head coach was just shown the door. It feels like a full rebuild there.

UCLA's former QB, Joey Aguilar, ended up at Tennessee after the offseason drama. He quietly slipped into the vacant QB spot and I kind of forgot about him, as did some other people. This was the rare QB for QB swap in the transfer portal. I don't remember if this has ever actually happened in the transfer portal era. But, Aguilar doesn't have the name recognition and his transfer was more under the radar. Aguilar has been a revelation so far at Tennessee. Tennessee sits at 2-1 right now, but maybe they should be 3-0. They were in control of the Georgia game last week, but they blew it. That had nothing to do with Aguilar. He more than looked the part as the star QB of a high level SEC team. I watched the beginning of the game because I wanted to see him play, as I had never watched him before. From the opening drive throughout the whole game he was on point. He made great throws. He hit his open receivers more than not. He used his legs to perfection. It was a joy to watch, especially since I had zero rooting interest in either team. I just wanted to see a good game, and I was rewarded.

I came away thinking that Aguilar was the better QB. He seemed to be more precise and more sure of himself than a bunch of other QB's I watched in college this season. Maybe it was just the moment and he was living up to it, but that was something Nico didn't do last season and hasn't done yet this year. Aguilar may be a product of the system. Maybe Heupel is a QB whisperer. Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton are both on NFL rosters and they both played their best football under Heupel. Iamalevea looked so much better last season under Heupel's tutelage than he has so far this season. But from what I have seen out of these two QB's that switched teams this offseason, Tennessee got the better end of the deal. Tennessee is still in playoff contention. They are still ranked. They still have most of their goals in front of them. UCLA on the other hand is going through a very tough time. They don't have a win yet this year and it looks like that will be hard to come by for them. Nico is struggling. Recruits are leaving everyday it seems. And it's going to be awhile before they are a college football team worth talking about.

This is an interesting outcome but I'm here for it. I wish it worked out like this a little more often in this new era of college football. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Why are UCLA and Virginia Tech Already Replacing the Head Coach?

Two college football coaches have been let go in the past couple of days. Deshaun Foster from UCLA and Brent Pry of Virginia Tech were relieved of their duties over the weekend. Both teams have not won a game yet, and they have not looked good three weeks into the season. Let’s discuss.

UCLA had higher expectations. Foster had a solid enough recruiting class and was able to get Nico Iameleava to commit through the transfer portal after his fallout at Tennessee. The Bruins also had, what looked on paper, an easier schedule. Well, none of that has panned out the way they hoped. Nico has been wildly inconsistent. He can't find open receivers, and he doesn't always have time in the pocket. And when he has open receivers, he often misses them. They have no real running threat and the wideouts don't get a ton of separation. The defense hasn't been much better. They kind of let teams run wild on them, both on the ground and through the air. UNLV got everything they wanted on the ground and New Mexico showed their secondary's true form. Granted the UNLV game was in Vegas, but UCLA should be better. In his little over a year with the Bruins, UCLA has not been very good. But, UCLA hasn't been a legitimate threat for awhile now. They were a six or seven win team when Chip Kelly was the head coach, but he left when he saw the ship sinking. I feel like they made Deshaun Foster a scapegoat. They gave him the job after Kelly left. He had a good story behind him, UCLA being his alma mater, and he was a damn good player while he was there. But I don't think he got a fair shake. I wonder if he won one of the first three games this season if he would still be the head coach today. But Foster never really got a chance to return his alma mater to its heyday. He was only given one full season and three games this year. He had some solid recruits. He could have done more with Nico. Maybe he could have continued to build through recruiting and the transfer portal. But we may never know. I don't know who the Bruins think they are going to get that is any better than Deshaun Foster, but here we are now. I wouldn't be too keen on taking that job, especially since UCLA is in the Big 10 now. I would have let Foster stick around the rest of this season just to see if he could turn it around.

As for Virginia Tech, they have not been good for what seems over a decade now. I remember back in 2011, Virginia Tech was playing Michigan in the Sugar Bowl. Since then, when Frank Beamer left, the Hokies can't seem to get back to those days. They would start past seasons 3-0 or 4-1 and inevitably finish the year 5--7 or 6-6. Once they got into conference play, it was a wrap. I feel like the Hokies have never really evolved to modern day college football. They don't have balance on offense. The defense is a sieve. They cannot stop anyone. Brent Pry was supposed to make them tough, but it never came to fruition. It was unfortunate for me to see the Hokies looked at as an easy win. I loved watching Mike Vick play his college football there. They had other dudes that were legit. But it all kind of vanished one day and they can't seem to get back to it. I don't know if NIL is killing this team, or if they can't get four or five star dudes to commit anymore because they want glory elsewhere. Seeing the Hokies fall so hard like this has really bummed me out. But, I do have to say, hiring Brent Pry didn't really seem like the answer. And much like the UCLA job, I don't really know who's clamoring to coach in Blacksburg, Virginia.

If I were running these two programs I'd try to convince lower level coaches to run the program. The unfortunate thing with these jobs now is that they're stepping stones. Up and coming coaches may take these jobs just so they can show that they can be the head coach at bigger programs. UCLA and Virginia Tech have fallen on hard times, but the climb back to relevance may take longer than the higher ups hope. We shall see. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

R.I.P. Robert Redford

Robert Redford passed away this morning at 89 years old. I read that he was surrounded by family at his home in Utah.

This one is a big deal as far as actors go. Redford was a star. Even I know that. He was one of the most handsome dudes in Hollywood and he had a very, very long career. The first movie I can remember seeing him in was "The Natural", obviously. I was a big time baseball fan as a kid and "The Natural" was one of the movies that everyone told me to watch. As a kid I thought it was okay. I rewatched it as an adult and that movie had layers. It wasn't just a movie about a really good baseball player, it was about aging in pro sports and the will to continue when maybe your career might be over. It is a solid movie.

As I grew older I wanted to watch more of his movies. One of the first ones I sought out was "Indecent Proposal". I had read that it was a very horny movie, so I was amped to see it in my early 20's. This movie is so much more than that. This is one of the very first "adult" movies that I saw, and I don't mean adult as in the amount of nudity. This movie explored what some would do for money, and how certain actions can affect people in the long run.

I recently saw "The Sting". That is a fun movie. I now get all "The Simpsons" jokes they made when Homer and Bart were grifters. But it was in this movie that I first realized Redford's star power. That dude is incredibly watchable on screen. I haven't seen "All The President's Men" or "A Bridge Too Far", but those are now on my list. He is the narrator in "A River Runs Through It", and that is a sad, sad movie. It is nice to have his voice leading the way throughout that downer.

When I was in elementary school I knew him as the voice of Ike the Horse in "Charlotte's Web". I read that book and watched that movie a bunch. So, any actor who did a voice in that movie when I was younger was someone for me to keep an eye on. Then, almost re-emerging on my scene, he showed up in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" in a big role. I was shocked to see him in that movie, but when he started acting, it was a seamless fit. He added a gravitas to those MCU movies. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is a more grown up MCU version, and I believe the addition of Redford helped in a big way. He reappeared in "Avengers: Endgame" playing the same role and I loved it.

Outside of acting, he started the Sundance Film Festival. This was always the festival where I would find out about the new indie movies that I would inevitably go see in the theaters. He was able to get a ton of big time actors, directors and producers to show up in Utah and put on a tremendous movie festival. Redford also supported environmentalism, Native American rights, LGBTQ rights and the arts. He was a fan of Barack Obama too. During his acting career Redford won two of the five Oscars he was nominated for. He won one BAFTA, was nominated for three Emmys, won six Golden Globes and got the Lifetime Achievement Award from SAG in 1995. Redford kind of did it all in the time he had on this plane. He stretched his wings and gave it all he had. He will be missed.

Rest In Peace Robert Redford. Go hit some homers wherever you may be now. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

An Ode to Citrus

As a kid I wasn't much for orange juice or lemonade or any of that type of stuff. I wanted kool aid and soda and Gatorade mostly. I drank, and still do, my fair share of water too. But, as I have gotten older, I'm here to say that  I was very wrong about the benefits and the taste of citrus fruits.

To give you all an example, I made some lemon loaf today with blueberries. I understand that blueberries are not citrus, but the amount of lemon I had to put in this bread was bountiful. And damned if it doesn't taste delicious. When going through the recipe this morning, I got to the lemon of it all. It called for the zest of four lemons, I only had three, and 3/4 of a cup of fresh lemon juice. So, I went with what I had and did what I could. The zest is so good and adds such a nice flavor to anything it is put into. In this bread, with the oils from the zest being released during the cooking process, it makes such a big difference. The bread stays more moist and the flavor runs throughout the bread. The addition of the fresh lemon juice gives the bread a nice punch that really goes a long way, especially paired with the sweetness of the blueberries. The icing for the bread also has fresh lemon juice in it, and this also brings a whole other level of flavor. Mixing fresh lemon juice with a pinch of salt and some powdered sugar makes it taste like the best lemonade you've ever had. It works so well with this bread and I find myself wanting more and more of it while eating a slice.

My love for citrus doesn't stop there. My mother in law makes the best sugar cookies ever, and I have to believe the thing that makes me love these cookies so much is the frosting, which features a heavy dose of lemon. I need to get her to try my bread and see how close I actually came to her icing. They taste similar. I have also become a big time fan of espresso tonic drinks. This is as simple as it sounds. You make a few shots of espresso, and while that is brewing you fill your cup with ice and add a tonic of your choosing. You can also add flavored tonic or flavored syrup to regular tonic. This is where the citrus comes into place for me. I love an orange forward espresso tonic. The tang the orange juice gives the tonic and espresso is second to none for me. I also like adding fresh lemon or lime juice to a diet tonic when making these. It really punches the drink up in a wonderful way. I really enjoy a Yuzu infused syrup to add to espresso tonic drinks. Yuzu packs more of a bang than other citrus syrups in my opinion. I also really enjoy what is known as a Sunrise, which is just orange juice, ice and espresso. When it all blends you get a great cup of iced coffee mixed with some fresh citrus. Don't knock it until you've tried it. I would even day that adding citrus of any kind to any soda makes it better. Sprite is delicious. My kids both love orange Fanta. I prefer Sunkist for my orange soda. The added kick citrus brings is one of my favorite flavors now by a mile. I wish I didn't just push it to the side when I was a kid.

Orange juice was always a thing for when you were sick. And I just preferred Gatorade to lemonade. But I was wrong. Orange juice and lemonade are so, so much better than Gatorade and better for you. And adding these things to food makes a real, and delicious difference. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

The What If of Ben Simmons

It's beginning to look like Ben Simmons is going to retire from the NBA. He was offered a deal from the Knicks, rejected it and then his agent let him go as a client. I am kind of stunned he didn't take the deal, but maybe this has been the plan all offseason.

Simmons has had an odd career. He was a number 1 overall pick and looked like he was going to be a big deal for a long time in the NBA. He did struggle during his lone season at LSU, and maybe we should have read more into his poor shooting, but he did so many other things really well that the 76ers were more than willing to overlook the other stuff. He was rookie of the year, I believe, in his first season. Then was an all star and an all NBA caliber player. He was the point guard of a very good 76ers team and he and Joel Embiid had the look to be a dominant force in the East. Then he passed up a wide open dunk in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and his career took a hard turn.

Simmons was able to do all the things that the 76ers envisioned him doing when they took him first overall. He was bigger than other point guards so passing was a cinch for him. He could bully smaller guys guarding him. He and Embiid ran a solid pick and roll game. Simmons was a good defender. He was a jack of all trades type of player. But the pass with a wide open dunk and the aftermath must have shook him to his core.

After he took a good portion of the blame for how that series ended, the Hawks won in 7, he demanded a trade. That didn't happen, so he acted out until the 76ers hand was forced. They eventually traded him, after it was shown that he was talking on his phone at practice, not being engaged, not caring about what was going on, for James Harden. The Nets seemed happy to let Harden go after the Kyrie, KD and Harden experience didn't work for myriad reasons. I think the Nets also thought that they had a point guard for the future and that he may be more inclined to shoot and play harder not being in such a bright spotlight. Harden kind of forced his way to Philly too, stating that he wanted to play with Embiid, and not have to deal with an anti-vaxxer and an oft injured superstar. Both sides seemed happy to oblige. But it didn't work great for either team. Philly got the full Harden experience. He would have great regular seasons and flounder in the playoffs. The Nets acquired a player in Simmons who was getting injured more often, and becoming even more afraid to shoot the ball. He would post videos every summer of him working out and shooting threes, but that never translated to on court success. He seemed to become so afraid to shoot that he would pass up layups and attack the rim simply because he didn't want to be fouled and have to shoot free throws. He would occasionally shoot free throws, and if he made them, he would have the audacity to shush the crowd. That is child's play my dude. He regressed so much that he became a punchline. And people started to comment more on his clothes than his game. He would wear some wild stuff while not playing due to injury. He then signed with the Clippers last offseason, and many people, myself included, thought he could be a solid fit. That never worked either because of his fear of shooting. He sparsely played and was eventually let go. And now he has no team, and is rejecting offers from teams that could possibly get him back to some kind of relevancy.

Ben Simmons NBA "legacy" is a weird one to me. He came out like a house on fire. He was so different and unique. And he was an awesome defensive player. But he seemed to lack that killer instinct and the want and will to be an all around basketball player. Maybe he never really loved the game, and if that is the case, enjoy retirement Ben Simmons. You came in like a flash, but seem to be leaving the game with a whimper. He and Joel Embiid could have been great. Oh well, we will never know that now. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

The Kawhi Leonard Thing is No Big Deal

I was biding my time before giving my thoughts on the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard situation. Here we go.

For those that may not know, it has been reported that Kawhi Leonard signed an endorsement deal with a company called Aspiration. This deal was for 28 million dollars over four years. I guess Aspiration was a company that "planted trees". The whole saga started when it was reported that Kawhi Leonard never did a second of work for this company and that the Clippers may have used it as a front to circumnavigate the NBA salary cap.

This all sounds very salacious and very intriguing. When the news was first reported I thought it was going to possibly end any threat of the Clippers winning a title for decades. I figured they would wind up in a similar purgatory as the Magic or current Bulls. Then I kind of sat on this news and listened to a few other podcasts and thought a little harder about it.

I will say, while listening to "The Flagrant Ones" earlier today, I fully agree with Sean Clements comparing this Clippers situation to Deflategate. When I first heard of Deflategate I figured that would be the end of Bill Belichek, Tom Brady and the Patriots. None of that happened, and in the long run, Deflategate was no big deal at all. Tom Brady likes his footballs to be a bit under inflated, the Patriots won a few more Super Bowls and Bill Belichek is the current head coach at UNC. Nothing truly awful ended up happening, and after a long, drawn out judicial hearing, it was found that it was truly no big deal how over or under inflated footballs can be. The size of a football truly had nothing to do with the Patriots, Brady and Belichek being a dominant team. I then thought of Michigan and the whole sign stealing thing that was just wrapped up with a rather minimal punishment. Again, Michigan started doing what almost every other NCAA football team already does, they found someone who was exceptional at deciphering signals and they ran with it. By no means do I think it truly affected any outcomes of any games. Michigan had an unreal roster, a coaching staff that is currently thriving in the NFL and they won every game fair and square.

Now, with this whole Kawhi and the Clippers thing, I don't think anything major will happen, nor does anything need to happen. Sure, they may get stripped of a second round pick, but I do not think they deserve any punishment until we know the full story, which we may never know. Did Kawhi Leonard sign a lucrative deal with a phony company? Sure. Did it affect the outcome of any Clippers games? Nope. Did the Clippers try to circumnavigate the NBA salary cap? Probably. Do I care? Absolutely not. I have to imagine pro teams do this on every single level. I bet this happens in pro soccer all the time. They give out tons of money to stars routinely. I would not doubt it at all that the big time guys the Lakers have signed over the years have had side deals. I'm sure my favorite NFL team, the Packers, have done some side deals to land the stars they've gotten over the years. Basically, this whole Kawhi Leonard and Aspiration thing is really no big deal. I have zero concerns over what he did. I would bet that his Uncle, Dennis, look him up if you don't know who he is, was the driving force behind this deal. That would mean the Clippers are totally free from any punishment since he is in no way involved with the Clippers.

To me this is no big deal that is only out in the open so major sports networks and websites can get clicks. We live in a fantastical society that craves salacious stories to make ourselves feel better. That is exactly what this whole thing is to me. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Better Late Than Never on "An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn"

I've been in a movie watching phase as of late, as my blog would let you all know. So, after watching yet another movie yesterday, I want to talk about this one. The movie is called "An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn".

I remember hearing about this movie ages ago, and then kind of forgot about it. Then, while channel surfing last Saturday, I stumbled upon it on premium cable. I had a little time before college football started, so I watched about 40 minutes of it. That wasn't enough, especially after talking to my buddy Kirk about the movie. He said he liked it, and that I should watch it to get the full jist of the movie. So, with my free time yesterday, I settled in and turned the movie on.

I'm here to say, I really liked what I saw in this movie. This is one of the strangest, wildest and funniest movies I've seen. The quick story of this movie is this mysterious musician, Beverly Luff Linn, is doing a one night show in some podunk town. In this town we meet the locals, who are an odd bunch of eclectic strangers. Beverly Luff Linn is played by Craig Robinson. He only communicates in grunts and facial expressions. Matt Berry plays Rodney Von Donkensteiger, Luff Linn's partner and somewhat of a personal assistant. He's possessive, but he also genuinely cares about Beverly. Emile Hirsch and Aubrey Plaza play a married couple, the Danger's, but there is definitely dissonance between them, and when Jermaine Clement, Colin, shows up to rob them, this is where the movie kicks into high gear. Aubrey Plaza, Lulu, runs off with Colin and they go to the hotel where Bevelry and his crew were staying. They pretend to be a married couple, and this only makes Beverly more upset. Apparently Beverly and Lulu have a past that is unresolved. Colin begins to fall in love with Lulu, but she does not reciprocate this feeling. Emile Hirsch, Shane, is clearly upset and he gets his employees, Zach Cherry and Sky Elobar to help him get her back. All while this is going some of the strangest and funniest stuff happens throughout the movie. People enter the scene and just yell at one another over nothing. Beverly goes swimming at one point and this entrances Lulu. During this swim session, Beverly lets out some wild guttural screams. It shocked me at first, but then I found myself chuckling. The hotel manager yells at people. The owner of the hotel has a wild haircut and weird way of talking to people. Shane has stolen from Lulu's brother, and he is constantly going into the coffee shop and yelling at Shane. Every scene between Colin and Lulu was so cringeworthy and made me laugh very hard. The way Colin yells at himself was great. Shane stands like a gremlin the whole movie. He is always hunched over, and that choice by Hirsch made me laugh. And the fight scene at the end was so sloppy, on purpose, and I loved every second of it.

This movie won't be for everyone. But if you like absurd and loud humor, it is perfect. I thought it was great. I laughed the whole time. Hell, it even had heartfelt moments sprinkled in there. What I liked best though, was the nostalgia of weird indie movies in the mid 2010's. These types of movies used to be put out more often than not and they have always held a special place in my heart. I wish we had more of them now. I definitely recommend checking out "An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn", especially if you're into absurdist comedy. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Better Never Than Late on "Infinity Pool"

I have been in a movie watching mood as of late, and I have wanted to watch weird movies. While looking at the many streaming services, I came across the movie "Infinity Pool". I vaguely remember seeing ads for this movie and they intrigued me. I liked the dark look of the trailer and I do tend to enjoy most movies with a Sarsgaard in them. I also find Mia Goth oddly enticing, and she happened to be the other person on the poster. I had free time yesterday afternoon, so I decided to check it out.

I truly did not know what I was getting myself into. I saw that it was directed by Cronenberg, but it wasn't David. I guess this is his son, so I figured it would be weird. And this movie was all kinds of weird. The long and short of the plot goes like this, rich couple goes to a weird resort, makes some friends, gets drunk, accidentally kills a person on a walk, goes to jail, finds out they can get clones of themselves to pay the consequence and Sarsgard becomes addicted to this lifestyle. All along the way, some crazy stuff happens. First off, the excursion to the woods takes a weird, sexual and disturbing turn. Skarsgard goes to the bathroom, gets accosted by Goth, she pleases him and he acts weird the rest of the trip. Then he accidentally hits the walker. He and his wife, Cleopatra Coleman are terrified, but Goth and her friend tell them to act like nothing happened and they will take care of this. This is where the clones and prison come into play. Now, the whole idea of having a clone of yourself deal with your consequences was intriguing to me, but the way the rest of the movie played out frustrated me to no end. When Sarsgaard first gets into the clone making machine, the movie becomes like a 70's psychedelic music video. It's all flashing colors, swirly, tie dyed like symbols and odd music. We see things during his trip in the goo, but can't make anything out. After his wife realizes he is obsessed with this cloning business, she leaves and the movie gets even wilder. Goth, Skarsgard and their buddies start to commit crimes and each time, they have their clones take the fall. They go harder and harder until Skarsgard has to fight a "dog" version of himself. This whole climatic scene is one of the oddest and strangest things I've ever watched. Oh, and the prolonged orgy scene a few moments earlier was not at all fun. It was upsetting and strange.

While I was watching this movie I grew more and more frustrated with each passing minute. The story never came together the way I wanted it to. I kept watching and saying to myself, "this must be what rich white people do when they run out of ideas". I grew frustrated at the direction and acting. Again, I like Skarsgard and Goth, but their performances seemed weird for the sake of weird. They weren't telling a story. They weren't interested in exploring the complications of this whole idea of letting a clone take the fall for you. The movie really started to lose steam for me near the end, the first time they catch Skarsgard on a tour bus.

I wanted to like this movie. It had stuff that I thought I was really going to enjoy. I like the actors. I figured with a name like Cronenberg that it would be gory, but also tell a good story. None of that happened for me. I found the movie to be a rich white person fantasy and I have no interest in watching a movie like that. The only saving grace, I did watch the whole thing because I wanted to see an unsatisfying conclusion I suppose. But, in the end, I'd pass on recommending "Infinity Pool". 
Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Relax People, Michigan Football Will Be OK

Michigan football got beat this weekend, and they didn't look very good throughout the whole game, save for a few plays. Let’s discuss.

The Wolverines looked a little bit like they did last season offensively, which if you all remember, they were horrendous on offense last season. The defense did keep the team in the game for as long as it could, but it was for naught. Oklahoma was the better team and Michigan got outplayed and outcoached by them. That was how I felt after the game. I did also think that this is what a team led by an 18 year old freshman QB would look on offense. And this is what a team being coached by a second year head coach in his 15th official game as the head coach. Are these excuses? Maybe. But, I'm a lifelong Michigan Wolverines fanatic and this is how I saw the game.

My biggest mistake/regret after this game was looking at the internet though. I loathe this whole "quick thoughts" or " instant reaction" culture we have. Last week, after FSU beat Alabama, it was the end for Kalen DeBoer. He was finished. Alabama was back to being irrelevant. There was also the talk of the SEC being finished as the best power conference. This was all due to the instant take culture. This week it was like that for Michigan. And Florida for that matter. Michigan got outplayed, so that meant that Bryce Underwood was not the answer at QB. Or, that he was being put in jail by the game plan from the coaching staff. The o line wasn't immune to the hate. Nor was the wideout corps. According to the internet geniuses, they had all the answers to fix these supposed problems. Sherrone Moore was taken to task as well. He was called everything from an idiot to unprepared. Again, the internet coaches had all the answers, mainly that Moore isn't ready to be the head coach at Michigan. Billy Napier suffered the same fate, but he may actually get let go by Florida. This whole idea though, these people online who think they know more than the actual players and coaches, the people in the building, is making me so frustrated as a fan.

I love Michigan. I have a Wolverine tattooed on my back. I used to let the outcome of games affect my mood. But, I never went online and griped about it the way others do. I may have written a blog or two, but it was after much thought and consideration of the previous game. I have also grown up and matured. I fully understand that these are 18-22 year old kids. I saw a thing that said "now is the time for my mood to be affected by 18-22 year old kids", and it fully rang true to me. I had a moment watching this game, when I knew it wasn't going to be good for Michigan, where I simply moved on. I didn't get upset. I didn't go online and air grievances. I texted my dad, who is the biggest Michigan fan I know. And then went to sleep. I didn't let it upset me or ruin my day. I didn't do some crazy nonsense for the world to see. I didn't go and do an instant reaction blog or podcast. I watched the game and turned it off when it was over.

That didn't stop the online trolls. They were so bad Saturday night that I had to actually unfollow some fan pages. I couldn't deal with the hate and vitriol that was coming from supposed fans. I despise the fact that these trolls seem to think they know better. In reality, they have probably never played the game, or if they did, they never made it out of high school, and they most likely rode the bench. These people don't understand the nuance and preparation that goes into football. They don't appreciate the hard work that these kids are putting in at practice and during their bye weeks. But in the long run, they don't appreciate this team. They may call themselves fans, but they are trolls. That is as simple as it gets. After unfollowing these fan pages I have felt loads better. I don't have to see that nonsense when I do decide to go online and it has been great.

To these trolls, if they are reading this, take it easy. Have a Xanax or whatever you need to calm down and grow the hell up. Be an adult and a good influence on the younger generation of fans and stay off the internet. And, always and forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Ty Watches "King of the Hill"

I was kind of unaware that they were going to do another season of "King of the Hill" until one of my brothers mentioned it to me at coffee a month or so back. Then it dawned on me that they did announce an updated season. We were going to see what the Hill family and friends were up to since they were last on tv.

I loved "King of the Hill" during its initial run. It was funny, made great observations and had some poignant and moving episodes. I always sided with Bobby because he was the kid in the family and he was, for me, the funniest. I often think about the episode where he gets gout to this day and it still makes me laugh out loud. Hank and Peggy Hill were great too, but Bobby was my guy. The rest of the cast held a place for me too. The Supennewsinpons, I'm sure I misspelled that, always fought with the Hills and it was always pretty funny. Dale, Boomhower and Bill were great side characters as Hank's buddies. John Redcorn and Dale's wife's relationship had tons of jokes that made me crack up. Joseph, Dale's kid, although it is clear that John Redcorn is his real father, was a nice mix of his folks. And everyone else did a great job. I will say with this new season, it was kind of a bummer that Brittany Murphy tragically died so young because that meant no Luanne. And it was pretty obvious that they were going to address Hank's dad passing, but they did do it in a very funny way, and then heartfelt way, throughout this new season.

Going into this season I really didn't know what to expect. I also had my guard up because I really do not like all the remakes or retelling or bringing back old shows for a new season. Right from the jump though, I enjoyed what I saw. It had the same cozy feeling of the original "King of the Hill". The way they explained the reason for taking a break was that Hank and Peggy moved to Saudi Arabia for Hank's job. This led to some funny stuff throughout the season. The way Peggy announced Saudi Arabia was great. Hank found out that he loved soccer. There were times when they missed the life they had overseas. I thought they explained that really well. They did great with Bobby, making him a chef that co-owns a restaurant. He does Japanese/German fusion food, and that is so perfect for his character. He also has the same voice from the original, and it was wild to hear that voice come from a 21 year old Bobby. And I loved it. Hank's buddies are back, although Dale is now voiced by Toby Huss, who I thought did a serviceable job. The stuff with Bill and COVID was great. Dale is as wacky as ever and Boomhower is just living his best life. The task rabbit episode featuring Boomhower does a great job of explaining his whole vibe I felt. And having Joseph and Connie back, and hanging with Bobby, it was just great.

This season did a very good job of coming back because they did a good job of sticking to what made the original series so wonderful. They update some jokes and talk about all that has been going on in the world, but in the end this is a show about a typical family in Texas. And is it clear that Hank Hill is still the main character. This show revolves around him and I'm here for it. And the way it ended definitely lends itself to more episodes, which I hope they do.

If you liked the original "King of the Hill", check out this new season. It is well worth your time. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Ty Watches "Imported"

Yesterday I was scrolling through streaming services trying to find something to watch. I started to search sports docs because I enjoy watching those types of movies. They're informative and I find them relaxing. I wound up watching a sports doc on Hulu called "Imported".

“Imported” is a movie about overseas professional basketball players. I'm a sucker for any sports doc that focuses on basketball. Basketball is my first love when it comes to sports. I was intrigued by this one because I have always been interested in the life of an overseas professional athlete. It helped that the movie was less than 90 minutes long. So, I clicked on it and sat back and watched.

Now, is this a great sports doc, not really. A great sports doc is a movie like "Hoop Dreams". That is the blue ribbon of sports docs. I also enjoy stuff like "Last Chance U" and "The Battered Bastards of Baseball". "Imported" is not on that level. But it was pretty damn watchable as a movie. I found myself interested in hearing directly from the athletes themselves. And some of the stories they told were wild. One guy talked about warming up for a game and all of the sudden his shorts were on fire. Apparently the fans were throwing flares in the crowd. A few of the pros talked about playing in Greece and how they never got paid their full salary. They would go and ask the owners of each team and there was always some kind of excuse or workaround. That would have driven me nuts. A few of the female professionals would talk about people in other countries that would just stare at them when they walked down the streets. Some said it was because their team was in the playoffs, but others said it was their size and the way they looked. It was shocking to hear all of this. What really got to me was the fact that some of these players said they preferred to play overseas. Some of these players are stars in the country they currently play for. Others, namely the women players, said that they make so much more money overseas.

"Imported" was very interesting with some of the facts they put out there. The doc did focus on one guy who helps players find teams and sets them up overseas. And while I appreciate what he is doing and how hard he works, I could have used less of him and more of the players. The players' stories interested me the most. So while "Imported" may not be the best sports doc that has ever been made, it kept my interest and had some good information. I was intrigued by what I watched. I would recommend it to anyone that is a basketball junkie such as myself. This is not for the casual fan, you need to be hyper interested in basketball to watch "Imported". 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Ty Watches "Twisted Metal" Season 2

I finished season 2 of "Twisted Metal" last week and boy oh boy did I love it. I thought the first season was solid, but you could kind of tell that it was made on a razor thin budget, and we were still dealing with COVID to a degree. That being said, they did a very good job with what they had. I thought the story of season 1 was great and when it ended I was fully interested in where they could go from there, especially after what they did to Thomas Haden Church's character, which was much deserved in the world of the show.

Well, with season 2 they clearly got money and a runway to kind of go full steam ahead. And they most certainly did this time around. Season 2 was bigger, grosser, funnier and a total blast. I don't usually go back and rewatch seasons of shows this new, but I will most definitely be doing that with "Twisted Metal". We have some people from season 1 back, and they were much needed. Quiet, Stephanie Beatriz, and John Doe, Anthony Mackie, are back and they get back together pretty quickly in this new season. Stu, Mike Mitchell, is back and even funnier and the writers kind of go the distance with his character. Sweet Tooth, played by Joe Senoa and voiced by Will Arnett, is just as violent as he was in season 1, but he is also way funnier this time around. But it was the inflection of a bunch of new characters that really made season 2 sing. Patty Guggenheim plays Raven, who is one of the many people that run New San Francisco. She had a rough time in the past, which has made me the hardass she is in the world of this show. She is badass and willing to fight anyone in her way. Tiana Okoye plays Dollface. She is the leader of a movement of women that want to make things fair in this world. They have an odd way of going out and showing that they are brutal, but she does have good things in mind to make the current world a fairer place. Saylor Bell Curda plays Mayhem. She is younger and has only lived in the world of the show, so she is incredibly green. But she is also feisty and crafty and is somewhat of a fast learner. Richard De Clerk plays Mr Grimm. This dude is pure evil and he and Sweet Tooth have a past. When he shows up on screen this season, things get serious. Tahj Vaughans returns as Stu's best buddy Mike. But he has a new friend, former cannibal Dave played by Johno Wilson. These three are the comedic relief for the most part and they are both hilarious. Lisa Gilroy plays Vermin. She was unrecognizable, gross and brutal. Michael James Shaw plays Axel, my favorite character from this season. He is totally badass, and the episode when he has an intervention was very funny. But the best addition this season was Anthony Carrigan as Calypso. He is so eerie and so evil and fits this horrendous world so perfectly. He creeped me out everytime he was on screen, but I have to assume that was his job in this role. If so, he absolutely nailed it. Having all these new people show up could have been a problem, but the writers and actors knew exactly what to do and they nailed it.

I really liked season 1 of “Twisted Metal”, but season 2 went above and beyond and they totally nailed it. I really hope they get a third season. This show can do so many more things in the world of "Twisted Metal". And I really want to see how they take the ending of season 2 and make a whole new season out of that story. I fully recommend this show. I have thought about getting the video game just to see how the two compare. Until then, I'm going to go back and rewatch this kickass tv show. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

I'm a Fan of Michigan Football, Not a Fan of Dave Portnoy

College football hit us all with a bang this past weekend. I know that there is a "week 0", but that is like the calm before the storm. Week one is when all the action really starts to pop off. Let’s discuss.

Week one is also when the pregame shows really give it their all. I have pretty much stopped watching any pregame stuff. I find it to be long, boring and pointless. It features former players or guys who never played but think they know the game popping off at the mouth and making picks that mean nothing to the actual game. It has gotten so bad that broadcasters are starting to openly pick who wins based on friendship. Go look at some highlights from the TCU-UNC game last night on the ESPN pregame show if you don't believe me. One such station that likes to boast about their pregame show is Fox. Again, I don't watch, but it seems like lots of people do. The only time I see even a minute of this show is during the university of Ohio State-Michigan game. And that's usually the tail end of the show.

This year Fox made some news when they hired Dave Portnoy to be part of the pregame team. This caused a whole stir because Portnoy is a big time Michigan fan and the first game that Fox was going to do a pregame show this season was in Columbus. It got so heated that rumors were flying around on the internet that Portnoy was being banned from the stadium due to his allegiance to Michigan. I always thought this was overblown, and sure enough he was there this past Saturday.

Try as I might, I did see a very little bit of his performance and it kind of drove me nuts. Look, you all know my love for Michigan and Wolverines football. They have been my true love in the sports world for a very long time now, as long as I can remember watching football games in fact. So, for Dave Portnoy now to be considered the ultimate Michigan fan, that makes me sick to my stomach. Sure, Portnoy does seem to be a genuine fan and he does seem to love this football team. But, he is a blowhard and a douchebag. Barstool Sports is the broiest and doucheiest sports website on the internet. It is just The Chive for sports. I despise Barstool, all of its offshoots and its most loyal fans. It is a site that can be as toxic as any on the internet and everyone is as mean as they can be because they can hide behind a screen name. Portnoy himself is an idiot and a loudmouth. His pizza reviews are dumb as hell. I hate how he acts like he is an actual part of the Michigan football program. He is probably a donor, but he is a low level donor at best. He did nothing to secure Bryce Underwood's commitment or had a single thing to do with the 2023 national champion team. He has been on the internet trashing "Sinners" lately. How devoid of taste and knowledge does he have to be to think "Sinners" is not a masterpiece.

What makes me angriest is he is now the face of Michigan fandom. People who don't know the sport all that well, or even really seem to care, when they see Dave Portnoy now they are going to think that is how all Michigan fans behave. We don't. I'm not on the internet every minute of everyday saying some wild stuff about other teams or other players. I'm not making internet videos that make me out to be a martyr because I may or may not have been banned from a stadium. I don't go online and actively troll fans of other teams. I like to sit down with my dad, who is a lifelong Michigan fan, and simply watch the game and commiserate with him. When we do go to a game in person, we do meet a few Dave Portnoy types, but we tend to meet more people like us that just simply love this team and don't feel the need to constantly talk about it on the internet. Portnoy is giving Michigan fans and Michigan fandom a bad name and I do not like it. It bums me out that, simply because he has money, Portnoy has become what others think all us Michigan fans act like on a regular basis. I'm here to say that we don't. Portnoy is a small, loudmouth idiot that thinks he knows everything. He does not and I despise him and his "enterprise".

I just needed to say this after seeing his performance this past weekend. I do not stand with Portnoy. And Go Blue forever. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Thoughts on the Micah Parsons Trade

The Packers got a whole lot better yesterday. Let’s discuss.

While I was out picking my daughter up from school, a big, big trade was announced. When I walked into my home, my son had told me that Micah Parsons had been traded. I hadn't heard about it yet. I was too busy playing games on my phone waiting in the parent parking line. So, when he said Parsons was traded, I immediately asked to which team. I had mentioned on our football preview podcast that some rumors were floated about that the Packers may be one of the teams to watch. When my son said it was the Packers, I did a little jump for joy in my head.

This was such a good, and needed move from the NFL team that I root for. The defense has always been good, not great in Green Bay, or at least since I have become a big time fan. Pairing Micah Parsons with Rashan Gary is an absolute homerun for me. I did think that maybe they had to trade Gary to get Parsons, but that was fortunately not the case. All the Packers had to give up for one of the best edge rushers in the game was two first round picks and Kenny Clark. While I'm a little sad to see Kenny Clark go, the first round picks mean nothing to me. The Packers are so young that building through the draft isn't a necessity at this current moment. And if Kenny Clark is the only interior d lineman out the door, and the trade off is Micah Parsons, sign me up all day, everyday.

This is amazing. It reminds me, not to invoke and compare current players to legends, when the Packers got Reggie White. It was so unexpected and transforming for the team. This is giving me the exact same feeling. It is also wild because Green Bay has never really been a team to go out big name hunting. But, when they have done it in the past it has worked out very well. Reggie White helped shore up the defense and he eventually got a Super Bowl ring. They went out and lured Charles Woodson away from Oakland, and he won Defensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl. Last year they traded for Josh Jacobs and he was one of the top rushers in the league last year. Big names have usually given them very good results. I kind of expect that with this Parsons deal. Parsons is so good, he commands double teams and he will open up gaps for linebackers and other d lineman to shoot and clean up any messes he has helped to create. He will free up Gary to get more pressure and hopefully stay healthy longer since he won't have to fully carry the d line. The secondary should benefit from hurried throws and QBs having to create out of the pocket. This is a tremendous win for Green Bay.

And dare I say, Green Bay definitely fleeced Dallas. The return was not that much when you think about it. And this all happened because Jerry Jones' racist ass didn't want to pay one of the better edge rushers in the league. I will take that everytime. If that senile old man is too dumb to get more out of a talent like Parsons, please send him to Green Bay and make them a true threat.

This puts the Packers in a contending category for me now. I have higher expectations than I did even two days ago for this season in Green Bay. Right now though, I'm going to bask in the glow of the Packers getting Reggie White 2.0. This made me a very, very happy fan yesterday. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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