Ty Watches "The Drama"

I was being told, and read some recent reviews about the movie "The Drama" that I had to go and see it. RD told me about it. My mom told me about a group of her friends who saw it. The reviews intrigued me. All of that was more than enough to go watch the movie.

I went to a matinee yesterday, and me and the two couples in the theaters sat back and watched an interesting, unique and different movie. My review will be spoiler free by the way, so have no fear reading ahead. I do recommend you go into this movie as blind as possible. That is, by far, the best way to go watch this movie. And before I really get into it, after much thought, I think this is a very, very good movie. I spent the majority of my afternoon thinking about the movie. I texted RD afterwards telling him I didn’t fully know how I felt about it yet. But I came to the conclusion last night that if it was still in my mind it must have been effective. It was and I enjoyed my watch.

For people who may not know, "The Drama" stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a soon to be wed couple. The movie takes place the week before the wedding. It starts out like any other romantic comedy about a young couple in love. We have the meet cute, the first dates, the lead up to everything and it is very sweet. I especially liked the dance scene. The two of them were preparing for the wedding day, they were working on their first dance with their instructor and it was very sweet. Zendaya and Pattinson clearly liked working with one another. They had tremendous chemistry.

Everything is going all well and good until they are at a tasting a few days before their nuptials. Then a conversation between Pattinson, Zendaya, Alana Haim and Mamoudou Athie happens. Haim plays the maid of honor and Athie plays the best man. The conversation seems to be pretty mundane but then some stuff is revealed and the movie follows the aftermath of the news. This is where the movie goes from solid to very, very good. This is where the main actors shine. Robert Pattinson does a remarkable job here. He gets to use his regular accent. He gets to play this intellect who has this massive news dropped on him and you can tell it is just eating him up. He doesn't know how he should react and Pattinson does a good job of reflecting the nerves and agony that this is causing him. Pattinson has proven his worth as an actor, and this performance is just another notch in his belt. Ever since "Twilight" he seems to take on good challenges for him and he has done a solid job of transforming into his characters.

But this is Zendaya's movie all the way. She is the star. She is the main person we are following and she absolutely nails it. I went from feeling bad for her to being mad at her to taking her side. All of this occurred in my head for the 100 minute runtime. That is the sign of an actor doing awesome work. I had only seen Zendaya in the "Spider-Man" movies or "Dune", both of which she is very good in. But she also has a clear person she is playing and she does that very well. In this movie she gets to play something totally different and wholly unique to her. She gets to dive deep into some dark stuff and she nails it. I was super impressed by her work here. She proves she is an actor worth watching. She may be one of the better actors out there now and this role shows that tenfold. I would not be shocked if she was mentioned in awards talk at the end of the year. Zendaya does some masterful work here.

"The Drama" walks a tightrope of how to deal with massive, unsettling news being dumped on a group of people. It deals with the gossip and the aftermath very well. I appreciate that there are some writers, directors and actors that are willing to try something different. I recommend this movie and I recommend going in knowing as little as possible. That's the best way to watch. 

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 Great Actor Wood Harris

Recently for our Patreon show "First Watch Rewatch", which you all should go and subscribe to and listen to, we watched the movie "Dredd". This is the newer one with Karl Urban, not the crappy one from the 90's. But I'm not here to give a review of that movie. If you want to know my opinions on the movie, go check out the show.

When I watch any movie for the first time, I always like to see if I recognize anyone in the cast. Karl Urban is the main guy, as previously mentioned, but there were a few others I noticed. Olivia Thirlby, from "Juno" and other movies, is Urban's co-star. Lena Headley, from "Game of Thrones", plays the villain. But it was the appearance of Wood Harris that had me hyped.

Wood Harris is about as dependable as they come in Hollywood, and if you are reading this and confused as to who this is, I would almost guarantee that he's been in something you've seen. And he is great as a villain in this movie. But as I was watching, I got to thinking about everything I've seen him in, and how much I like when he shows up in something I'm watching. So I decided I want to point out the stuff I remember him from today, and how much I like his performance and each thing I've seen him in.

For starters we have to talk about him in "The Wire". This is probably what he is best known for. He played Avon Barksdale, one of the dealers, who became a pusher and became a head honcho for the bad guys. He was in 38 episodes, which is most of the series. He was incredible in this role and he will always be remembered for this role. But he was in plenty before this role.

His first role was in "Above the Rim". This is a criminally underrated basketball movie. I adore this movie. I used to rent it on Pay Per View when I was younger. And his character made me nuts because he was trying to shoot the main guy. He got his comeuppance in the movie, but his performance left a mark on me. He played Jimi Hendrix in the movie "Hendrix". While this movie isn't great, he did a solid job portraying the seminal musician. "Remember the Titans" was, in my opinion, his star turning role. He went pound for pound with Denzel Washington in that movie. His performance made me cry for the first time watching a movie. I rooted for him so hard and wanted nothing but the best for his character. He is excellent in another underrated movie, "Paid in Full". That movie is  filled with rappers acting, and doing a fine job, but Harris makes that movie solid. He brings brevity to that movie. He grounds it and makes it totally worth watching. He is the clear pro amongst first time actors in that movie. He also shows up in "Southland Tales". That movie is a total mess, but you could see Richard Kelly had a vision. While that may not have come across well on screen, Harris shows up and is totally worth watching. You can also tell that Kelly wanted some actors he could count on, and Wood Harris may have been the first person he called when he knew he needed pros in this fascinatingly wild movie. "Next Day Air" is by no means a classic movie, but it is a good comedy and it proved that Wood Harris could hold his own with guys like Mike epps. He is funny and fun to watch in that movie. I already mentioned him in "Dredd". He is in the first "Ant-Man" movie, playing one of Paul Rudd's buddies. Those characters were the best in the movie and they made me laugh the hardest. Harris was part of that crew and it bummed me out that he didn't return for any other "Ant-Man" movie. "Creed" is an amazing movie and Wood Harris seemed like a perfect fit in a movie about boxing. He is clearly athletic and he got to show more of that in "Creed". He is in "Blade Runner 2049", and he is a great addition to an awesome cast and great sequel to one of the best movies ever made. He returns in "Creed II" and he is back in fine form. He had a long run on the tv show "Empire", which my wife loved, but I barely watched. I would watch more when I would see Harris show up in an episode. He was the coach for a young LeBron James in "Space Jam: A New Legacy". That movie is not very good, but Wood Harris being named in the cast was reason enough for me to watch. He was on "The Last OG", which is a show I loved. He returned for "Creed III" and played Spencer Haywood in "Winning Time". While I don't like "Winning Time", Harris did a good job playing a fading star in the NBA in the late 70's. And he most recently showed up in "One Battle After Another" as part of the French 75. And while his screen time was minimal in that movie, it was memorable.

I think that's the best compliment I can give Wood Harris. He is always memorable in his roles. He does great work when he is cast. He is a consistent and dependable actor. And I just wanted to shout him out today. I feel like he is not mentioned as much as he should in Hollywood. I'm a fan and I cannot wait to see what he does next. 

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.

Is This it for Doc Rivers?

Doc Rivers has walked away as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. Or they fired him. Or it was mutual. I have heard all three things being said since the NBA regular season ended. Let’s discuss.

Doc Rivers is an okay coach. He does have a championship ring. He started his head coaching career in 1999 when he took over the head job with the Magic. He was there for four seasons. He even won coach of the year in 2000. He brought the Magic back to relevancy. He had the Magic at or above .500 every season he was the head coach. He took them to the playoffs three times. He was let go after the Magic started the 2003-04 season 1-10. He did try to lure Tim Duncan away from San Antonio, but that didn't work. If it had, that would have been a real sliding doors scenario for the NBA.

He wasn't out of a head coaching job that long. He took over as the head coach of the Celtics in 2004. He had the most success while with the Celtics. The first three years only had one playoff appearance, but in year four they won the whole thing. This was when the Celtics got Paul Pierce some help trading for Kevin Garnett and adding Ray Allen via free agency. This was one of the first "super teams", and this team won it all. KG got a ring. Ray Allen got his first ring. Paul Pierce more than proved his worth. And the Celtics won it all with an excellent defense. They could have won it all the very next season, but injuries slowed them down in the conference semifinals. They made it back to the finals the next year, getting beat by the Lakers. But Doc Rivers had proven that he could win, and take teams to high heights, as long as he had a great roster.

Doc stuck with the Celtics for three more seasons, but in the 2013-14 season he took the head coaching job with the Clippers. The Clippers were supposed to win it all. They had all the players they needed, they just needed a proper head coach. Doc Rivers was supposed to be that guy. He was the missing piece. And while those Clippers teams were fun, they never made it out of the conference semifinals. They would have these wonderful regular seasons, only to see any hope of a long playoff run die in spectacular fashion. Those Clippers teams were full of arrogant assholes too. Blake Griffin was only a ferocious dunker, nothing more. Chris Paul was a pain in the ass, who would find ways to blow games at any given moment. Deandre Jordan couldn't stay out of foul trouble. The players would pour drinks on opposing teams fans. They allowed Josh Richardson to rain threes on them. They let the Thunder, led by KD and Russell Westbrook, beat them early in their run. These Clippers teams couldn't get out of their own way, and a lot of that falls on Doc Rivers. He did have to navigate the whole Donald Sterling thing, and I do think Doc Rivers did a good job with that fiasco. But the rings never came.

Next he took over as the head coach of the 76ers for the 2020-21 season. This seemed like a good fit too, but we have the whole Ben Simmons of it all. Simmons could have been great, but he got in his own head. And when Doc Rivers didn't take his side, he became known as not a players coach. The media ripped him for this and it made his time as the 76ers head coach fraught with criticism. He was blamed for Simmons flaming out. He was told he was taking Joel Embiid's side too much. He tried to bring on his type of players, but it didn't amount to much. Those 76ers teams were loaded with talent, but they never got out of the East semifinals. I do think that this team could have won a title if they had a better head coach.

Rivers was then assigned to take over when the Bucks fired their young coach. Apparently Giannis didn't like that coach and they gave the job to Rivers. I thought this was going to work. It did not and it did not to epic proportions. Doc Rivers never really had a hold on this Bucks team. He never had his full complement of players. Someone was always injured. They didn't get out of the first round of the playoffs the last two seasons. Part of that is due to injuries, other parts are due to Rivers coaching inadequacies. The Bucks were very bad this season, and it looks like Giannis is on his way out. This whole Doc Rivers Milwaukee Bucks marriage never worked. It did the opposite of that. This was bad on all counts. And no matter what Rives says or the front office says, the Bucks are not in a good place right now. This team may actually need a full tear down. I mean, they're paying two people, Damian Lillard and Doc Rivers, that don't even work there anymore. They still have Kyle Kuzma. They gave Myles Turner a humongous contract last offseason. More changes than just a new head coach may need to be made here. And this bums me out because my dad is a Bucks fan and I want him to be pleased with what his favorite team is doing and the direction they're headed in.

This may be the end of Doc Rivers as a viable head coach in the NBA. He may get a spot at one of the soon to be open head coaching spots in the NBA, but not with a big time franchise. Maybe the Pelicans or Wizards will target him. But teams in big cities or with big name players, I'm sure they will pass on Rivers. At least he has a championship ring. 

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.

Ty Predicts the 2026 NBA Playoffs

The NBA regular season wrapped up last night and the playoffs are officially set. I am going to give you my playoff preview and prediction. I'll go through the play-in games, pick a winner of those and then have my eight teams set in each conference. Then I'll go through the East and the West, pick the winner of the title and my Finals MVP.

Let's start with the East play-in games.

The 9-10 features the Hornets playing the Heat. Whoever wins this game has one more shot to get the 8th seed in the East. The Hornets have been on fire for months now. They are fun and fast and exciting to watch. The Heat are play-in vets. They have made it to the Finals from the play-in. They know what it takes to win in these games. But, the Hornets are better, younger and hungrier. They will win this game and end the Heat's season. The 7-8 game in the East features the 76ers and Magic. This is a puzzler. Both of these teams should have been better this year. Both teams had higher ambitions. I am going to go with the Magic to win this game and claim the 7th seed, but I have zero confidence. The 76ers may be fully healthy or they may be missing multiple starters. Who knows. That is why I'm going with the Magic. That would leave the Hornets and 76ers playing for the 8th seed, and I'm going with the Hornets. They're too fun to not pick. I want them in the playoffs. And as much as I like VJ Edgecombe, Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, one of them will inevitably be injured for this game. The Hornets will get the 8th seed.

Now for the West play-in games.

The 9-10 features the Warriors playing the Clippers. These teams are both old and not happy to be in the play-in. Who knows if Steph Curry will play or not. This seems about the time of year that Kawhi Leonard seems to get hurt. The Warriors have been pretty bad during the entire second half of the season. The Clippers have been much better, but they have had to work extra hard to get here. But because they have had meaningful games lately, I'm going to go with the Clippers to win here. The 7-8 game has the Suns playing the Blazers. The Blazers are ahead of schedule. So are the Suns. Both of these teams have had much better seasons than anyone expected they would. I'm going to go with the Suns because they have been better all year long. The Blazers are building on something, but the Suns will get the 7th seed. So that would leave the Clippers playing the Blazers. Whoever wins this will have the honor of facing the Thunder in round 1. Congrats. I'm going to go with the Blazers just because I want to see them in the playoffs. I want to watch their guys play much more than the Clippers. That is why I'm going with the Blazers to win the 8th seed.

So, my East playoff teams from 1-8 are as follows, Pistons, Celtics, Knicks, Cavs, Hawks, Raptors, Magic and Hornets. The Pistons-Hornets matchup is going to be fun and exciting. The Pistons are having a great year. They won 60 games and look to be a perenial playoff team moving forward. I already talked about the Hornets and how fun they are to watch. But, the Pistons have a much better defense and Cade Cunnigham is back. I think the series will go six games and the Hornets will scare the Pistons, but the Pistons will eventually tire the Hornets out and win the series. The Celtics are going to obliterate the Magic. The Magic will have a lot of changes this offseason after the Celtics sweep them. They may have a new coach and some new players. The Celtics are the most professional professional basketball team. They play great basketball and make minimal mistakes. And Jayson Tatum is back and looks pretty damn good already. The Celtics seem to be on a mission. The Knicks lucked out in playing the Raptors. Nothing against the Raptors, but the Knicks are a much better team and they are a team that is primed for the playoffs. They have the better backcourt and frontcourt. They may struggle a bit with Scottie Barnes, but Barnes is not the type of player to win a series on his own. The Knicks have Jalen Brunson and a myriad of role players that are solid. They will win the series in five games. The Hawks-Cavs looks to be competitive, but I don't think it will end up that way. The Hawks have been so much better since they traded Trae Young. They play solid defense and their offense moves a ton, which I like. But the Cavs have been waiting for this time of year. They have to make amends for the past few years where they have crapped out in the playoffs. I think they will play much better and I believe they will beat the Hawks in six games.

That would leave me with a second round of Pistons-Cavs and Celtics-Knicks. All chalk. That changes here. I'm going with the Cavs to beat the Pistons in seven games. This will be the best series in the East in my opinion. It is strength on strength too. But the Cavs will pull it out in the seventh game. The Knicks-Celtics should be amazing as well. These two teams are fun to watch play one another. They will go at it. I'm going to go with the Celtics in seven games due to better defense and Jayson Tatum being back. They also have to make up for last season. T

hat means I have the Cavs playing the Celtics in the East Finals. And I believe the Celtics will win that in six games. The Cavs will be tired, but they aren't on the level of the Celtics. The Celtics are better, and they may be the best team in the East at this very moment. The Celtics will return to the Finals.

Now for the West. My West playoff teams, from 1-8, are as follows, the Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets, Timberwolves, Suns and Blazers. The Thunder are going to cruise over the Blazers. If the NBA could call it in three games, I think they might. The Thunder are that good, they are pretty much whole and they have a title to defend. The Blazers are on the come up, but they don't stand a chance against the Thunder. The Spurs will take on the Suns in the 2-7 matchup. The Spurs are the most fun team to watch this season in the NBA. Wemby is healthy. Stephon Castle is a star in the making. Keldon Johnson is a great sixth man. Carter Bryant brings a new dimension to this team. Dylan Harper could win rookie of the year. The Spurs are way ahead of schedule, but it is the Spurs and they are awesome. The Suns have Devin Booker, and that's about it. The Spurs will sweep this series and will officially announce themselves as a title contender. The Timberwolves and Nuggets series is going to be closer than expected. Nikola Jokic is back to himself, Aaron Gordon looks to be in game shape and Jamal Murray is having his best season in his career. The Timberwolves have been inconsistent, but they have Anthony Edwards, and he is a stone cold killer on a basketball court. Ayo Dosunmu has been a great addition. Jaden McDaniels is a defensive stalwart, but he is still injured. And Rudy Gobert is still a good defender. The Timberwolves also play to the level of their competition, and they have recent success against the Nuggets. That being said, give me the Nuggets in six games. The Timberwolves have been too inconsistent this season, and the Nuggets have been clicking lately. The 4-5 matchup, the Rockets and Lakers, feels like a real dud to me. The Lakers are injured and LeBron James, while still awesome, is 41. They also play little to no defense, JJ Redick is a mediocre coach and the Forum doesn't hold the weight it used to as a home court advantage stadium. The Rockets do play good defense, but they are horrendous offensively. They have no plan. They miss Fred VanVleet. Amen Thompson has to be better offensively. Alperen Sengun needs to be better defensively. This team has issues. I'm going to go with the Lakers in seven games because the refs will do some wild nonsense to help them win a crucial game 7. It always seems to happen that way for them.

My second round matchups are the Thunder playing the Lakers and the Nuggets playing the Spurs. The Thunder are going to be 8-0 after this series. They beat the Lakers by 40 when they were whole. They are going to obliterate them in this series. The Nuggets are going to beat the Spurs in seven games, and it will be brutal. This is going to be a fun back and forth series. Wemby and Jokic will be cinema. I'm excited to see Murray and Gordon go up against Castle and Harper and Johnson. I'm excited to watch these two young coaches battle. Look, the Spurs are coming, just not this season. I have the Nuggets winning in seven.

That means I have the Thunder and Nuggets in the West Finals. This is the true Finals for all intents and purposes. These are the two best teams in the NBA. I'm going with the Thunder to win in six games. The Nuggets will make it close. They play incredible offense. And even the Thunder, who have the best defense in the league, will struggle in a few games. But the Nuggets play zero defense and that will be their undoing. The Thunder are good, deep and will be well rested going into this series. That is why the Thunder will make it back to the Finals.

This leaves me with a Thunder-Celtics Finals. And as cool as it has been to see the Celtics be this good this year, and to see Tatum back in action, the Thunder are a better team. They are deeper, they are healthy, they have a true home court advantage. The Thunder in the midst of a possible dynasty. They will win their second championship in a row, and SGA will take home another Finals MVP. The Thunder will win a second straight title in six games. 

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.

Ty Predicts the NBA Awards

I listen to a good amount of basketball related podcasts. I like to nerd out on these shows. I especially like it when the hosts and guests go into deep dives about certain things. With the regular season winding down in the NBA, most of these shows have been doing their awards talk. They have been going through all of the awards, who they think will and should win and why they think these people will win. And, with the added 65 game rule, some of these awards are going to people who may have not been most people's first choice.

I personally think the 65 game rule is good and should stick around. I do not like that some players are trying to have certain stipulations put in place so they can be rewarded if they played only 60 games or so. These are the rules, the players union agreed to them and that is just the way it is going to be for the time being. I fully understand that this may dilute certain winners, and mess with some players' money, but they all agreed that this was the best way to go about handing out these accolades. With all that being said, I'm going to give you my picks for the major awards and why I think each player is deserving. I will not do all NBA, all rookie and all defensive teams. That's way too dorky even for me. But I do want to give out MVP, Most Improved, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. These are the big ones. These are the ones that I pay most attention to at the end of the season.

I'll start with Most Improved. I would give this to Jalen Duren. He has gotten so much better this year than previous seasons. He has made a leap to all NBA status. I remember when the Pistons drafted him and I thought, he has the body for the NBA, but does he have the game? He does and it has shown out tenfold this season. He's excellent defensively. He is a hellacious rebounder. And he has shown a great low post offenisve game and he is one of the better rim runners in the league. He has improved leaps and bounds and if this isn't your prototype for this award, I don't know who else it should go to. He has also surpassed the 65 game rule, so he's in great shape to win.

Next we have Rookie of the Year. This is going to go to either Kon Knueppel or Cooper Flagg. I was wrong about Knueppel. I thought the Hornets wasted a top 4 pick on him. But the kid can play. He is a lethal shooter and can get his shot off pretty much whenever he wants. He has partnered up well with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller and they look like they will be an elite offense for many seasons to come. But Cooper Flagg is doing some highly impressive things on a pretty bad team. Flagg is all the Mavs have. He is their lone offenisve threat, he has had to be a ball handler for them, he is an astute passer and he tries hard on defense. He also has had two 40 plus point games recently, and one 50 point game. He makes the Mavs no fun to play, and I think he has pulled ahead of Knueppel this past week. It will be a close vote, and either guy is a great choice for ROY. I would give it to Flagg at this point.

Next we have Coach of the Year. Joe Mazzula should win. I was low on the Celtics and they are currently the 2 seed in the East. He has made guys like Luka Garza and Nnemas Queta viable frontcourt options. Payton Pritchard is having his best season. Jaylen Brown has become a viable number 1 option and proven to everyone that he can be a guy to build around. He had to find players to replace Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in the lineup and he did. He has helped get Jayson Tatum back in the groove in a proper manner. Mazzula is an insane person, but he knows how to coach this game and he has done an exceptional job this season. JB Bickerstaff should get some love, as should Mark Dagneault. But Mazzula has proven his worth this season and he should reap the benefits by winning Coach of the Year.

Now we have Defensive Player of the Year. Victor Webanyama, if he hits the 65 game mark, should be the runaway winner. I don't know how you vote for anyone else. Rudy Gobert is still good, but not on Wemby's level. Evan Mobley has been better defensively than offensively, but not on Wemby's level. There is no guard or forward that even matches what Wemby does on that end. I fully believe that the Spurs will get him that 65th game and he will walk away with this award, as he should. This is going to be one of many for him in what, hopefully, will be a long career.

Finally we have MVP. Luka Doncic is out. He will not meet the games requirement and he will not win his appeal. He also doesn't play defense. When you have to always put in a caveat of, "good for him", that means he is a liability on that end of the floor. He also whines too much. He is also a drag to watch play basketball. I would not give it to Nikola Jokic for his lack of defense as well. Look, I get it. He is an offenisve wizard. He makes unmakeable plays all the time. He is playing really well offensively to close out the regular season. But, for me, a MVP caliber player needs to play hard on both ends. Jokic doesn't even put forth an effort defensively. He has been a turnstile late this season. He never guards anyone that is close to his height or level. He often takes defensive possessions off. I know the analytic nerds love his numbers, but I loathe that he plays zero defense and gets rewarded with the whole, "good enough for him" treatment. That is just an excuse and until he puts forth effort on defense I will continue to dislike watching him play. The MVP comes down to two guys for me, Shai Gilgeous Alexander and Wemby. Wemby needs that 65th game, but I already said I think he will get there. He is the only defensive player I've ever watched that makes it impossible for teams to gameplan away from him. You can attack Jokic and Doncic. You can stay away from Kawhi Leonard's side of the floor. Gary Payton would only ever guard backcourt guys. Wemby guards everyone and guards them all equally well. He is a blackhole. He can be in the post guarding a big, and if that guy kicks it out to a shooter, he can close out and block that shot. He is amazing. And he is only getting better at offense. He has gotten stronger in the post and he can take guys out to the three point line. That's insane for a 7'4 guy with arms that are insanely long. Wemby is an enigma and I love watching him play. But I would go with SGA to win his second in a row. He is the best player on the best team in the league. His numbers and Jokic are pretty equal. He gets to the free throw. He is not the only "free throw merchant" in the NBA by the way. We just hear more about him because the Thunder are always on tv and won the title last season. He is efficient dynamic on offense. He is also a very solid defender. The Thunder win with defense and he has bought into playing on that end of the floor. He gets steals and blocks. He rebounds the ball. He gets into whoever he is guarding. He plays both ends, is on the best team and has numbers even the analytic nerds love. And he has played the most consistent of any of these guys all season long. SGA should win his second MVP in as many years.

That's it, that is who I have winning the major awards for the 2025-26 NBA season. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Better Late Than Never on "12 Monkeys"

I just watched the movie "12 Monkeys" for the first time. Let’s discuss.

I have heard about this movie for years but never got around to it. I know why I didn't see it when it first came out. The preview made me scared. I had issues with movies that were post apocalyptic when I was a kid. It felt too real and too close to me back then. I couldn't handle it. But, I don't have any real issues with movies like that now. I actually seek these types of movies out. I have also had two of my brothers, RD and Seth, who have been in my ears for years about this movie. But I never got around to it, until this past Tuesday. This is also my first time seeing a Terry Gilliam movie. I have always heard about him, but never watched any of his movies. That's going to change after seeing "12 Monkeys".

I loved every single second of this movie. For people who have not seen it, the movie takes place in the past, present and future. Bruce Willis plays a criminal from the future who is sent back in time to try and stop this disease from being released in 1996 that is going to wipe out 99 percent of the human population.

Bruce Willis is exceptional. A performance like this makes me so sad that he has to deal with what he is currently dealing with. He and his family do not deserve this at all. He is so good in this movie. They let him be himself to an extent, but he also had to act like a crazy person at certain points, then shift on a dime and act like he was just giving in. It felt like he had given up at certain points in the movie. He portrayed all of this very well. I especially liked the scene when he was beating up someone who accosted his friend, and he took his own teeth out afterward. It was such a good performance of someone who could just flip on a dime at any given moment.

I also really liked all of the stuff in the asylum. This is where we meet Brad Pitt, an Oscar nomination worthy performance. Pitt is the best part of this whole movie. He plays the leader of the 12 Monkeys crew that everyone thinks is the cause of the spread of disease. Pitt plays this asylum patient and real world person perfectly. He is twitchy and talkative. He goes on these rants and raves where he will make sense in one sentence, then go off the rails during the next. He was so fun to watch.

Madeleine Stowe plays a psychiatrist who works with Willis. She thinks he is losing his grip on reality at first. But after a while she starts to understand and see his side of things. She realizes he is actually from the future and wants to help him. Christopher Plummer has a minor role, but he is memorable and I thoroughly enjoyed his southern accent. There are a bunch of other people in this movie and they all lend some good stuff to this movie that makes you feel wacky while you watch.

I loved everything about this movie. The look and estechic were so much cooler than a bunch of similar movies being made today. Gilliam made this movie look surreal, especially in the asylum, and you could really see it on the screen. I also like that the writers throw you in so many directions before revealing everything in the final act. I loved all the twists and turns. This movie's plot had me on the edge of my seat. But what I think I enjoyed most was the way it all wrapped up. Most movies give you hope. Most movies will show you something that makes you think it will all be okay. Most movies want you to leave in a good mood. Not "12 Monkeys". This movie ends very sadly. Spoiler alert, but everything you see leading up to the final act, it is going to happen. That is how the movie ends. You watch all of this stuff happen, and when there's a chance to stop it, that doesn't happen. I like when directors take a swing like that. And land said swing.

"12 Monkeys" is a very, very good post apocalyptic sci-fi movie. I shouldn't have waited this long to watch it. I'm glad I remedied that this week. I recommend you do the same if you haven't watched it, or are looking for a rewatch. "12 Monkeys" rules. 

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.

UNC Got the Right Basketball Coach

Michael Malone was formally introduced as the next men's head basketball coach at UNC. Let’s discuss.

I don't know what it is about UNC and hiring former professional head coaches with proven track records, but they've done it again. This feels different though than when they hired Bill Belichek last season. The Belichek hire was totally out of left field, so is this Malone hire. But Belichek was out of the coaching profession for a year or so. And he is old. He is one of the older coaches in all of college football. He also has a partner that seems controlling. I don't know if she is, but she seems to have a hold on him and kind of does all of his scheduling and other things. I understand that he probably needs this, he is so old as I said, but it still feels off. And the Belichek hiring has not paid off to this point. UNC had a bad season on the football field, there seemed to be a ton of problems on and off the field and he's already had turnover on the roster and coaching staff. The UNC football program seems like a program in trouble.

When the men's basketball team fired Hubert Davis, and with Caleb Wilson going pro, it seemed like the men's basketball program was going to go through a similar fall off. They let the head coach go after an okay season. Their best player missed the most important stretch of the season and then went pro. And they have had a few dudes already enter the transfer portal, and this was when they had no head coach. So, when the news came out that they were hiring Michael Malone, I was stunned.

About a week ago I wrote about who I thought they were going to go after in the hiring process, naming Tommy Lloyd and Dusty May as the most likely candidates. Well, both of those dudes said no thank you and, apparently, UNC already had their sights set on Malone. Michael Malone has been at the very top of the basketball world. He was the head coach of the Nuggets when they won the title in 2022. He seemed to be set for life as the main guy there, but the team and front office decided to move on late last season. From what I have read some of the people on the team and on the staff did not like his hard core, yelling approach to coaching. Michael Malone is a gruff, no nonsense old school head basketball coach. He demands the best out of his players and he wants them to give their all every single second they are playing or practicing the game of basketball. I can see how this would wear on modern NBA players. Those dudes make a ton of money, they have been the star at most stops and they pretty much know the ins and outs of the game. They do need a figurehead, someone to take the blame and heap praise upon. But that guy needs to be able to adapt to the lifestyles of their professional athletes. That does not work very well for the Michael Malone's of the world. And that is precisely why I think this might actually work for UNC.

UNC went out of their way to get Malone. They hired a guy that has zero ties to UNC. He didn't play there, he never coached there and I bet the only time he has spent in the Carolinas is when he was a head coach in the NBA and his team had a game in Charlotte. But the dude knows basketball and he has proven that he can win a ton of games. He did it at the highest level for a good long time. But what makes this make sense, college players don't make the money that the pros do. They are getting paid right now, but Michael Malone is going to get paid much, much more than them. He can also show off his NBA championship ring anytime he pleases. He can talk about coaching guys like Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray. He knows what it takes to get to the pros. He can help usher these highly rated recruits and transfers into the pros. He can show them exactly what they have to work on to get to the highest level. He knows the game. And I don't think recruiting is as awful as some say. You do have to travel all the time, you have to sell the program, you have to deal with NIL and the transfer portal, but Michael Malone has dealt with most of this stuff in the pros. He has been through the ringer and come out on the other side.

This is a home run hire in my opinion. UNC reached for the stars and grabbed a pretty damn big one. I think this is going to work out really well and really quickly and I think UNC may have just made the hire of the offseason for men's college basketball. This is a big deal. 

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 Current State of Michigan Basketball is Pretty Good

For the second time in three years I have gotten to celebrate a Michigan team winning the national title. In 2023 it was the football team. Last night, it was the men's basketball team. Let’s discuss.

I really enjoy this feeling. There's truly nothing better than when your team is on top. It is the best in the world. I do want to say, as wonderful as this feels, the football title felt a little better. I just have to say that. College football is a little more important to me than basketball. I just wanted to put that out there. But that is to take nothing out of what the men;s basketball team achieved last night.

When the season started I didn't know what to think, especially in the NIL and transfer portal era. I had heard a bunch of good things about the guys they brought in. Aday Mara was tall. Morez Johnson Jr was tall and strong. Elliot Cadeau was going to be able to run the offense properly. And Yaxel Lendeborg was this jack of all trades type player. Throw in some of the guys that stuck around, Nimari Burnett, Will Tschetter, Roddy Gayle Jr and LJ Cason, this team was supposed to be good. But I thought I was going to miss Tre Donaldson and Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin and Devante Jones. Those guys were part of Dusty May's first season, in which he took an 8-24 team to the Sweet Sixteen. They seemed to be in a good place. But this was going to be all new. But, like I said, the media seemed pretty hyped about this new roster. And while I was skeptical, they started the season 12-0, and looked really good doing it. They may have started slow, but they went on a run where they were obliterating teams. And I'm not talking about the run of the mill lower level division 1 teams, they were beating up on highly ranked teams. I started to buy in. Then Wisconsin hit a million threes and cooled any of the good vibes I had about them earlier on. But then they went on another long win streak and I was back in. They got all the way to being ranked number 1 overall. It ruled. Then Duke punked them on national tv and I was back in a funk. Sure, Mara was an incredible defender and Johnson Jr was bullying dudes on both ends and Cadeau was killing it as the lead guard and Lendeborg was all I wanted him to be. But Duke took all of that away from me. I fully stopped believing. Then you can add on the struggle they had in the Big 10 tournament, they did make it to the title game, and won the regular season title, and I just kind of gave up. When the tournament seeds and games were announced, I knew Michigan was going to be a 1 seed, and I even had them in the Final Four. But they went on to cruise and crush the competition in the tournament. They went on an unprecedented run. After Howard was throwing flames in the first half from 3, Michigan went on to score 101 and win by 21. Then they crusted over the early tournament sweetheart Robbie Avila and SLU. They scored over 90 and won by 20 plus points again. And this was the game where Lendeborg became everything I ever wanted him to be. He went for 20 plus and made it look easy from everywhere on the court. He was a menace on defense. He was dunking on dudes left and right. It was dope. They went into the Sweet Sixteen facing one of the top offenses in all of college basketball in Alabama. They held them to 77 points, while they scored 90 yet again. They lucked out in facing Tennessee, a six seed, in the Elite Eight. They went on to beat them by 33 points, In an Elite Eight game. On national tv. In front of everyone. This was the moment where I fully bought in and truly believed they may be able to do it. They looked so much more dominant than any of the eight teams left. They looked even better in the Final Four. I was all in on Arizona winning it all all season. I fully thought they were the best team in men's college basketball. They had just beat Purdue, who beat Michigan in the Big Ten tournament. Well, Michigan proceeded to crush Arizona. They beat them so badly that their coach said that "no team has been able to do what Michigan did to them all year". Also, when accepting his coach of the year award, Tommy Lloyd mentioned that maybe they meant to send it to Dusty May. That was how badly Michigan beat them. They won a Final Four game by 18 points, and it wasn't even that close.

With the national title game last night, I didn't just want a win, I expected it. But, when the game tipped off, it went much different than I hoped. UConn muddied the game up and made it sloppy and slow. This worked to their advantage for a bit. They even held an 18-15 lead with about 11 minutes left. They were holding this elite Michigan offense to 15 points nine minutes into the game. I was terrified. I wasn't nervous, I was scared. I thought they were going to get beat, and beaten badly by a team and coach that knows how to win title games. But Michigan persisted, switched up the game plan a bit and went into halftime with a 4 point lead, 33-29. But the way the media was talking you would have thought UConn was ahead. And that was when a revelation hit me. Michigan played really poorly. They couldn't make a jumper. Lendeborg's injury was clearly becoming an issue. They hadn't made a three pointer. And yet they were ahead by 4 points. Going into the second half, while still scared, I felt calmer than I thought. I did yell once, but my son told me to calm down, and I did. Michigan never let UConn get any closer than that 4 points. They stretched the lead to 11 at one point. They made 20 straight free throws. When UConn played pressure defense, it was freshman Trey McKenney who came up big. Lendeborg started to attack the rim and either make a shot or shoot free throws. Mara's presence was felt on the defensive end. And Elliot Cadeau saved his best game for last. Without him, they may not have won last night. But this was this team's MO all year. They didn't need one guy. They had a team of players ready to make plays and step up when asked. Roddy Gayle had a huge putback jam early in the game. Morez Johnson Jr played excellent defense both in the paint and on the perimeter. I mentioned Mara, Lendeborg, Cadeau and McKenney. This was a full team effort and it showed last night. And while this team became known for offense as the season went on, they played an exceptional defensive game last night, especially in the second half.

Dusty May was clearly the right choice as the new head coach two years ago. I liked the hire when it happened, and I loved it even more after last night. He knows how to work the portal, and if he keeps up this level of recruiting high school players, as long as he doesn't leave for the pros anytime soon, Michigan men's basketball will be in good shape.

I'm on cloud 9 today. I have been talking to everyone and anyone that asks me how I feel about it all and let them know. This team went 37-3. I grew to love every player. I'm as big a Dusty May fan as there is right now. And they capped it all off by winning the title last night. This is so awesome and I am so happy right now. Go Blue.

 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.

Ty Watches "The Thing" on the Big Screen

Over the weekend I was fortunate enough to have a buddy who invited me to see "The Thing" in the theater. Let’s discuss.

My friend had been watching a bunch of John Carpenter lately, and he told me he had never seen "The Thing" in the theaters. We are both too young to have gone to a theater, but I did ask him if he had seen the movie prior. He was quick to let me know that he had. I watched it for the first time relatively recently. I want to say that my wife and I watched it last Halloween. We each pick random movies every weekend we are home to watch, it was my turn to pick, I heard a bunch of people saying how great the movie was, so I finally decided it was time for us to watch.

"The Thing" is an incredible movie. It was way ahead of its time. The practical effects were amazing. I don't think any movie has gotten to the level with practical effects that "The Thing" was able to achieve. The acting and writing were superb. I found myself not trusting anyone in the movie as it went on. And tons of movie makers have tried to recreate this feeling since, to varying degrees. Kurt Russell and Keith David are so, so good. They are, for all intents and purposes, the main characters, with Russell getting a bit more screen time. But it all comes down to those two in the end and they own every scene that they're in for the entirety of the movie. The movie takes place in Antarctica, and the way Carpenter directed, you feel cold while watching. There's snow everywhere. The wind is whipping around the base camp. The actors' clothes are snow covered every time they reenter the camp. It just makes you frigid while watching. I got all of this when I watched this movie in my home.

Seeing it on the big screen though, that was a whole other level. I went into this viewing very excited. I know the ins and outs of the movie, I have made my own feelings well known with the people in my life, what I think about the ending and I went into this viewing looking for stuff that I may have missed. I tried to have as keen an eye as I could. And I think it kind of worked. I noticed the dog way sooner than I did the first time. The crowd would ooh and aah at certain points, and those scenes made more sense to this time. I watched each and every crew member with a closer eye. I wanted to see if I could pinpoint when they were turned by the alien. I wanted to find all this stuff out.

But it was the crowd and my buddy who made this viewing so much cooler for me. I love that local theaters are showing older, restored movies on the big screen. Seeing "The Thing" at the Hi Pointe, a local indie movie theater, is the best way to watch a movie like this. Seeing it with people my age or older, people who have loved this movie since it first came out, people who have a true affinity for it, that ruled. I like how the people who were a little older than me, you could see the pure enjoyment on their faces while watching. Nostalgia is very big right now, and doing something like this is a big money making endeavor. And it lets people see the movie the way they saw it as a kid. That is what is truly important in this scenario. The theater was also about half full, which for a 9:30pm show on a Saturday night, that's a good sign to me. I also truly enjoyed having a conversation with my buddy about our feelings after the movie. I truly liked his insight.

I'm here to say that on April 6th of 2026, I believe that Keith David had turned into a thing, and he and Kurt Russell were going to die on that base camp. I used to believe that they were both human, but after seeing that David's character had no breath coming out, and that he drank what may be gasoline in that wine bottle, I do think he turned into a thing. He also disappeared with no warning when he was supposed to be looking out. That is the first sign that the thing got him.

I cannot recommend going to see this movie in a theater if you get the chance. It will change your outlook and you will view it in a whole new light. Also, if you haven't seen "The Thing" ever, rectify that right now and watch it. "The Thing" rules and seeing it on a big screen makes it even better. I had a blast. 

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 Eats The Big Arch Burger

McDonalds.com

My kids are off school today and my wife is working from home. That means that we usually order lunch or go pick something up. My wife had to go pick up an order at Target, and she suggested we get McDonald's. I'm not the biggest fan of McDonald's but it will do in a pinch. The pinch today, I was the only one who wasn't stoked, so we went with the majority because we are civilized people. My wife took our orders and I wanted to go with something different. I usually get a few double cheeseburgers or some nuggets. But today I decided to try the new Big Arch Burger.

I've seen some people talk about it online, my son tried it once and said it was alright and I watched a chef recreate one and make it their way and it piqued my interest. So that was my choice for the day and my wife just delivered our lunch about an hour ago. I got the sandwich and some fries and a drink, but the only thing I finished was the burger. As I was eating, my wife and daughter asked how it was. I didn't know how to answer at that moment. I offered them a bite, they accepted and both said they liked it. This is a big deal coming from my daughter because she always said that she doesn't like hamburgers. So, for her to even try it, and then say she liked it, that is a big check in the positive direction for this burger. After they gave me their response I thought more as I finished the whole thing.

In the end, I liked it. It is a solid burger. For all of its faults and gross food, McDonald's can make a burger. Even the stuff that doesn't stick around has some kind of redeeming qualities. Hell, a bunch of people, not me, love the McRib. I have never been a big fan of the Big Mac, but that may very well be the best known and most beloved fast food hamburger on the market. I am not a fan of the Shamrock Shake, but I know RD has an affinity for it. McDonald's knows what they're doing and they do it better than most. So, for me to come to the conclusion that I liked this new, possible limited time burger, that says a lot to me. And I still cannot totally put my finger on what I liked about it. It may have just been the whole thing to be honest with you. I like that the bun had two different types of seeds on it. There were sesame and poppy seeds. That made for a nice contrast. I am a shredded lettuce fan, and this burger has plenty of that on it. I am not fully sure what the sauce was, it looked like Thousand Island but tasted totally different, but it was enticing enough that I kept going back for more. I have always been hit or miss on pickles, but these pickles hit today. It is your classic Mcdonald's pickle, but it added to the burger. I believe there's fried onions on the bottom, and that gave it a solid crunch, along with the pickles and lettuce, and they tasted pretty good. The beef was plentiful, there's two hamburgers on the bun. But it is McDonald's beef, so who knows what it is made from, but it was pretty tasty. And then there's the cheese. I don't know if it is Swiss or Provolone or some kind of blend of the two that some food scientists created, but it was the best part of the whole burger in my opinion. It added a nice creaminess to the burger. It was fully melted. Sometimes you get a burger at McDonald's and the cheese isn't fully melted. That was not the case today. This cheese was melted from end to end and it was in each and every bite. The cheese made the burger for me. Without it, it would not have been as good.

So, in the end, the Big Arch Burger is a nice choice for this limited run. I kind of want them to keep it a limited time thing so it doesn't become too common like the Big Mac. But who knows that they will decide. They seem to have a nice thing going with the McRib, and I would like to see them do the same thing with this burger. I recommend giving it a try if you're on the fence. It is a pretty good hamburger. 

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 "Y2K"

About a year ago I remember Kyle Mooney going on a tour of podcasts and tv shows to talk about his new album, which I adore, and a new movie he was directing called "Y2K". I listened and loved the album, but I skipped the movie for the time being. I don't really know why I skipped it either. It got bad reviews, but that hasn't stopped me from seeing stuff before. It wasn't in the theaters too terribly long, but I watch stuff on streaming all the time. And then I kind of just forgot about it. I was then checking on the A24 list on HBOMax and "Y2K" was one of the first movies that popped up. So I sat back while I waited for the repair person to show up and watched.

I found myself enjoying the movie. I'm a Kyle Mooney fan. I loved when he was on "SNL". He used to make me crack up with the characters he would play, especially the 90's comedian who would bomb on weekend update. I really enjoyed "Brigsby Bear" . I think it is one of the more underrated movies to come out in the 2010's. I watched all of his Netflix show, "Saturday Morning All Star Hits", and loved how weird and dark it would get. And when he shows up in bit parts on tv shows or movies, I get stoked. I also like his and Beck Bennett's podcast, although they don't always record on any kind of schedule. He makes me laugh and I enjoy his brand of comedy. So I was going into "Y2K" with an open mind, which I think is the best way to watch a movie like this. It isn't world changing film making. I don't think Mooney and crew thought they were going to win any awards. But you could tell in watching this movie that he was having a good time and he wanted to tell a gory and weird and funny tale about what he thought would happen if viruses messed with computers on New Years Eve of 1999.

This movie was perfect for someone my age because Y2K was such a big deal. Everyone talked about it. We all wondered what would happen. We all backed up our computers. I can remember sitting in my basement with some friends as midnight rolled around and nothing happened. But this movie takes us into a world of something happening. The movie starts off like any throwback to the late 90's that we have now. There's the music of the time, the fashion and kids getting ready to ring in the new year. Jaeden Martell plays the main character, Eli. His best buddy, Danny, is played by Julian Dennison. They are dorky outcasts that just want to be accepted by the cool kids. They get drunk one night and decide to go to the big party held at "Soccer" Chris's house. Soccer Chris is played by singer The Kid Laroi, and he does an okay enough job playing a jerk. But Eli's main goal is to kiss his crush at midnight, Laura, who is played by Rachel Zegler. She kisses Soccer Chris instead, and Eli feels rejected. Then some wild stuff starts to happen. It hits midnight, and a few minutes later the machines start to take out the kids at the party. It is gruesome and hilarious. I thought it was pretty great the way Mooney directed these scenes. They were scary but also funny. After the massacre at the party, where Danny unfortunately leaves us, we have four people on the run. Eli, Laura, CJ and Ash. All get away. They did have a fifth kid with them, but he tried to do a trick with some rollerblades and breaks his neck. See, funny the way they off some of the characters, at least in my opinion. From here on out it is all about survival, but they also make it funny along the way. Mooney plays a stoner movie clerk who happens to have a nice, safe location free of internet. But he too meets his demise, and again it is hilarious. But this movie is really all about Eli getting up the courage to tell Laura how he feels, all the while the world is seemingly coming to an end due to Y2K.

I laughed a lot during my watch. I think Mooney has a good, and unique sense of humor. I find his stuff to work for me. I don;t necessarily agree with the critics on this one, but to each their own I guess. If you want to watch a movie that is a good time, and to turn your brain off for a bit, "Y2K" is a solid choice. I liked it a good bit. 

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 "Project Hail Mary"

I have just returned home after seeing "Project Hail Mary" and I have thoughts. This is going to be a spoiler free review, so you have no worries reading ahead. I will not give away anything.

First and foremost, I loved every single second of this movie. I was moved, I laughed, I got nervous, I was rooting for random stuff to happen and my attention never wavered, not even once. I was totally blown away by this and I could have watched another two and a half hours and been as happy as I could be.

Ryan Gosling does some amazing work in this movie. He is such a consistent actor and I have come to enjoy pretty much every project he chooses to do. He is making some solid picks and he seems to get better with each choice. I loved his work in "Barbie", and in "Project Hail Mary", he plays a totally different role. He has been doing that in every movie. He is such a pro and he seems to sink himself into each individual role he accepts. He brings these people to life and he is an absolute joy to watch. And for most of this movie he is acting alone. There may be a partner on the screen for him to play off of, but make no mistake, for about 70 percent of this movie he is acting alone. And he nails it. His performance as Dr Grace was one of the better performances I've seen in quite some time. This is right up there with Michael B Jordan in "Sinners" and Leonardo Dicaprio in "OBAA". He is doing some tremendous work and I hope that when the Oscars are announced for next year, the voters don't pass over the awesome work he does in this movie.

Sandra Huller is the other main actor in this movie, and for the minimal amount of scenes she is in, she is great as well. I found her demanding, but I understood why. I liked that she sang in this movie. She even makes a few jokes. She does a very solid job as a supporting actor and it makes me want to watch more of her work.

But the biggest takeaway I got from this movie was the direction from Lord and Miller. These dudes know how to direct and make a compelling and beautiful movie. This movie takes place mostly in space, but that didn't stop them from making it colorful and lush. I loved the look of the planets in this movie. They made up one and it was one of the coolest and unique things I've ever seen on film. The spaceship looked legit and real and big. This was a vast ship full of what I imagine most spaceships have on board. I also really appreciated the way the story was told. I have not read the book, so forgive me if this is how it was written, but I loved the whole back and forth way of storytelling. I liked that we go back and forth from space to the real world. They tell us about everything that led to why they are in space and why there's a spaceship. But they didn't do it in two separate parts. They would do some stuff in space, then have a scene back in the real world and it all worked and flowed so well. It was a very cool way to tell the story. We would get time in space, and then they would flashback and show us why these certain things had just happened, or what got them to this point in the movie. This movie works on every level. I was all in for the entire run time. I want more movies like this. It is clear to me that Lord and Miller understood the subject material and they made a damn good movie based on a story they both love. I like that and want more of that.

I cannot recommend this movie enough. When movies like this are made it makes me optimistic about the future. We have people like Ryan Coogler and Lord and Miller who are young and making really cool, really interesting stuff. That is great and I want more and more of it. And Rocky is one of the best characters to ever appear in a movie. Go see this movie in a theater with others. That's the best way and you will love every minute. This movie rules and I'm going to talk about it a bunch more for the rest of the year. What a great, great time in the theater. 

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 Predicts the Final Four

The men's Final Four is set. UConn will face Illinois in the first game Saturday night, and Arizona will face Michigan in the second game. We have two number 1 seeds, a 2 seed and a 3 seed. We have two Big Ten teams, one Big East team and one Big 12 team. All power conferences, all teams that were ranked inside the top 15 most of the season. This is the way of the current world in men's college sports. The teams that can pay and use the transfer portal correctly will continue to run college sports until some changes are made. It's going to be awhile before we see George Mason or Loyola Chicago in the Final Four. With that being said, I'm going to do a preview and prediction.

UConn-Illinois is going to be an interesting clash of styles. Illinois likes to score fast and furious. They have guys who can shoot from anywhere on the floor. They also have guys that can protect the rim on defense and rebound the ball. They play like an NBA team. Iowa exposed a few things that I think UConn can use to their benefit, probably better than Iowa did. UConn has solid veteran leadership and some young talent. Alex Karaban is a very good shooter and has been here before. Tarris Reed has become one of the better throwback big men in all of college basketball. He has some of the best low post moves I've seen in awhile. Solo Ball can attack and shoot. Braylen Mullins just made the biggest shot of the tournament. That kid can score in bunches. This should be a fun game to watch. I'm curious as to how it will all turn out. Illinois has shooters galore and I think that will separate them from UConn. UConn just gave everything they had in their last game. They came back from down 19. They had little to no chance of winning that game. They needed a bad pass to create a miracle shot. I think that may bite them in the butt this weekend. Illinois is also a really good basketball team that has been consistent and well rounded all tournament long. They easily overcame the mild adversity Iowa threw their way, and they just feel like a team destined to play for the title to me. I think the game will be close up until the end. UConn's bigs will make life tough for Illinois' big men. But the shooting separates Illinois from UConn. UConn is not the dominant team they were in the very near past, and that will only help Illinois push into the final. I say Illinois wins by 8, but it will be that wide because UConn will have to foul late, and free throws will make it seem like a bigger margin of victory than it really is. Illinois will be the first team to make it to the title game.

Now onto the game I want to watch, and I bet most of the country wants to watch as well.

Arizona and Michigan have been at the top of the rankings all season long. Both teams went a long, long time undefeated. Both teams won their regular season conference title. Arizona won the Big 12 title tournament, while Michigan played in the Big Ten tournament title game. Michigan has a program record 35 wins at the moment. Arizona has 35 wins as well. Arizona just showed how good of a team they can be last weekend. Purdue gave them everything they had in the first half. Then Arizona locked in and completely took over. They dominated the second half against a very good Purdue team. They won that game going away. They clawed and scratched, and with about 12 minutes left in the game they totally took over. It was wild to watch. I have been riding with Arizona as my pick to win it all this year most of the season. I picked them in all four brackets I filled out this year. They are a very, very good team with multiple NBA draft picks on the floor. Michigan has had a year to remember. It has been awesome for me to watch as a fan. And they have been as dominant as any team can be in this tournament to this point. They have scored 90 plus points in every game. They have won every game by double figures. Their closest margin of victory was 13 in the Sweet Sixteen. They just beat Tennessee in the Elite Eight by 33 points. Yaxel Lendeborg has been playing out of his mind. Elliot Cadeau is running the offense brilliantly. Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr have been manning the front court. And Roddy Gayle Jr and Trey McKenney have been making plays all over the court. Michigan has looked every bit the number 1 seed they have earned. This game is going to feature so many future pros. It will be the closest thing we have to watching two college teams full of NBA players. Both teams also have guys that can beat you on any night. They don't need one guy to do it all. They have multiple guys that can go off and take a game over. I have been batting it back and forth about who I want to pick. Michigan has been awesome. Arizona has been just as dominant and they beat a better team in their Elite Eight matchup. I'll be rooting so god damn hard for Michigan, but I'm going to stick with my pick of Arizona heading to the title game. They have more weapons and bigs that can matchup with the size of Michigan. It will be a close, very well played game of basketball, but I think Arizona is going to hit a big shot to win the game by three points. And I will be absolutely devastated.

That leaves me with Illinois and Arizona playing for the title, and there's no need to beat around the bush, Arizona will roll. They are a better team with a better coach and a better roster. That's just facts. And any one of their players would win Most Outstanding Player. I'll go ahead and go with Koa Peat. 

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.

"Project Hail Mary" Reminds Us of Something We are Close to Losing

This is not going to be a traditional movie review for the new film Project Hail Mary. The plot of the movie revolves around a scientist, light years away from Earth, trying to figure out how to stop our Sun from dying. It sounds like a depressing film, it is actually quite hopeful, funny, and emotionally moving. The movie also has something very welcome for today's audiences to see and feel.

Project Hail Mary is a refreshing reminder that intelligence, curiosity, and trust in expertise can still drive a compelling story.

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, with a screenplay by Drew Goddard, and anchored by a compelling performance from Ryan Gosling, the film brings together a team that clearly understands how to balance spectacle with thoughtful storytelling.

What makes the film stand out isn’t just its high-stakes premise, it's stunning space sequences, or its scientific ambition—it’s the quiet confidence it places in its protagonist. Rather than undercutting brilliance with cynicism or constant second-guessing, the story leans into the idea that sometimes the smartest person in the room really should be trusted to lead. Even when others—human or otherwise—question decisions, the narrative consistently affirms that careful thinking, problem-solving, and a deep respect for knowledge are not just admirable traits, but essential ones.

That dynamic becomes even more meaningful in the film’s interactions beyond Earth. The presence of an alien intelligence doesn’t diminish human capability; instead, it creates a space where mutual skepticism evolves into mutual respect. Watching two vastly different beings learn to trust each other’s reasoning is one of the film’s most rewarding elements. It’s not about who is smarter—it’s about recognizing intelligence in different forms and choosing collaboration over doubt.

In a landscape where characters often succeed despite their flaws, Project Hail Mary dares to suggest something more optimistic: that people can succeed because of their strengths. It’s a story that celebrates competence without arrogance, science without condescension, and trust without naivety. And in doing so, it feels both rare and deeply satisfying.

Go see Project Hail Mary. When you leave the theater you will be filled with optimism and hope. We could use more of that these days.

RD

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

Come and support us and the podcast on Patreon.

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

The SeedSing 2026 MLB Preview

Today I'm going to do my best to give you all a 2026 MLB preview. As I say every year, RD knows this stuff better than I do. He's the expert when it comes to baseball. But my son has grown fond of the MLB and he has gotten me to watch more games the past two years than I did the previous ten. I may have little knowledge, but I have some. I'll go through the divisions, pick a winner, the seven playoff teams and then predict the playoffs. Let's get to it.

I'll start with the American League.

The AL East figures to be the best division in the AL this year. The Red Sox, Orioles, Yankees and Blue Jays all have a legit case to be in the playoffs. And the Rays aren't all that bad either. I'm going to go with the Red Sox to win the division. I'd love to pick the Blue Jays. They were so close to winning the World Series last year, and they only had to replace a few guys. They also still have Vlad Guerrero Jr, who is only getting better. But the Red Sox are the more complete team here. That doesn't mean this division won't house three, maybe four playoff teams.

The AL Central is the opposite of the East. This division will most likely only get the winner in the playoffs. I'm sure the Guardians will be better than most expect. They always seem to do that. And the Royals have been getting a ton of love from the media. The White Sox are getting better and the Twins are constructed to be bad. The central is all about the Tigers. Tarik Skubal is back and pitching on a one year prove type of deal. They signed Framber Valdez. They have a solid and effective lineup. This feels like a year that the Tigers could push for a bid in the World Series. The Tigers, barring major injuries, should coast to the division title.

The final division in the AL, the West, should also be a one team race. The Athletics are good, but they still don't have a home city and that has to mess with their players. The Angels still have Mike Trout, and not much else. The Astros look to be on the back end of their winning. And the Rangers, only a few years removed from being World Series champs, are rebuilding. This is the Mariners time to shine. They pushed the Blue Jays last year. They have all the main pieces back. They will make moves to keep winning during the season. They, on paper, may be the best team in the AL. The Mariners have been preseason favorites before and did not live up to expectations. I feel like they're too good to do that again.

So, my playoff teams in the AL are, first the division winners, the Red Sox, Tigers and Mariners. That leaves me with the three wild card spots, and I'm going to go with the Blue Jays, Yankees and Royals. The Orioles will just miss out, as will the Guardians. But this feels like a solid six team playoff race in the AL. As far as who will play in the ALCS, give me the Tigers and Mariners and the Mariners winning in six games to make it to the franchise's first World Series.

On to the NL, the senior circuit of you will.

I'll start with the East here as well. We have some big spenders and some old teams here. The Phillies are really good and consistent. But they have died in the playoff as of late and they are only getting older. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber can't hit home runs forever. And Trae Turner will one day get slower. The Mets are spending big and made some deals to get much needed pitching help this offseason. But they didn't even make the playoffs last year. The Braves have all the talent in the world everywhere on this roster, and it cannot seem to stay healthy at all. And then there's the Nationals, who look to be building back a competitive team, and the Marlins who are as bad as it gets in the NL. I like the Phillies in the East here, but that's only because the Mets cannot seem to win when it matters most. They spend a ton, but the Phillies product on the field has proven to be better.

The NL Central is better, and it is a three team race here. The Cardinals are going to be bad, but maybe a little fun to watch. They have young talent everywhere that they're trying to develop, which will be fun to watch at times, and then abysmal at other times. The Pirates have some solid dudes on their roster and one of the best pitchers in the game. But this is the Pirates and they don't, or won't pay anyone and then that person leaves and they're back to square one. It feels like more of the same from them. The Central is a race between the Cubs, who are as talented as it gets in baseball, the Brewers, who won the most games in all of baseball last year and seem to churn out competitive teams season after season, and the Reds, who are finally loaded with pitching and hitting talent. I'm going to go with the Cubs to win this division, but it would not shock me at all if the Reds are right there with them all the way to the end. I could see Ely de la Cruz being a possible MVP caliber player this season.

The final division is the West, and I think we all know who is going to win here. The Dodgers are the best team money can buy and I have zero issue with that. They have gained the system and they will keep doing this until there are rules put in place to stop them. The Diamondbacks have some good players and they get some guys back this year that are finally healthy. They could make a little noise. The Giants will be feisty and maybe win 85 games. The Padres have some good hitters, but their pitching staff needs work. And the Rockies get to play next to some beautiful mountains. The Dodgers are the cream of the crop not only in this division, but in all of baseball.

So my NL playoff division winners are the Phillies, Cubs and Dodgers. My three wild card teams are the Reds, Mets and Diamondbacks. As for the NLCS, give me the Dodgers and Cubs, and the Dodgers sweeping them to play in another World Series. As for my World Series winner, give me the Dodgers beating the Mariners in six games. It won't be as epic as last season, but should still be a fun series. As for my award winner, I'll take Aaron Judge as the AL MVP and Tarik Skubal as the AL Cy Young winner. In the NL, give me Paul Skenes as the NL Cy Young winner and Shohei Ohtani as the NL MVP.

There you have it, my best shot at a 2026 MLB preview. Enjoy the season.

Another view

Let’s get it out of the way, the Dodgers will win their third straight World Series. They are the best team by a long shot, they are still hungry, and everyone knows there wilol be no season next year so LA will do whatever it takes to win. Now, lets predict division winners.

AL East - Toronto Blue Jays, they got a taste last year, they want it all now.

AL Central - Detroit Tigers, the best team, and pitcher, that no one is talking about.

AL West - Seattle Mariners, hungry and ready to make their first World Series.

AL Wild Cards - Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals

NL East - Philadelphia Phillies, the Mets will Mets again. Same as it ever was.

NL Central - Chicago Cubs, the North Siders will final put the Brewers to bed.

NL West - LA Dodgers, obviously

NL Wild Cards - Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks

The ALCS will have another Toronto/Mariners seven game classic with Seattle winning. The NLCS will have a hot Reds team meeting up with the Dodgers. Cincinnati will take the first game, then lose the next four sending LA to their third straight World Series. The Dodgers will sweep the Mariners and poor Seattle will have to wait for their first World Series game victory. Then we wait as the 2027 season will be wiped out by a strike. I hope I’m wrong about that last sentence.

Play Ball

RD

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 Platform"

I was out to coffee with my brother and my dad the other day and the two of them kept talking about this movie called "The Platform". Well, that's the name in English. But they were both giving it very positive reviews and remarks. They were talking so much about it so I asked them what the deal was with this movie. I wanted to know why they liked it so much. What made it work. Instead of giving me a breakdown, my dad told me to watch it that day when I got home.

So I did. I fired up Netflix, set it up to the English dub and watched it all unfold for the next 90 minutes. And they were correct. This was a very good, very unique movie. And before people get mad, I know the English dub is the "improper" way to watch a foreign movie, but I didn't feel like reading subtitles, I don't know Spanish and I just wanted to enjoy my time watching the movie. Anyway, as I watched this movie it all started to make sense as to what they were talking about. The whole premise of this movie is that people are put into rooms that are numbered. And each day food is lowered down from room to room on a platform and the people in the rooms have a certain amount of time to eat the food that is on the platform. So, if you are on one of the first 20 or so floors, you're eating ok. But as the platform goes further down, food gets more scarce until there is none left. The movie tells us the story of one of the people in these rooms, and how they try to survive the ordeal. But the movie goes into much, much more detail than that. I have been thinking about it since I finished on Tuesday. I have been batting around the idea of, is the place they're all in, for lack of a better term, jail? Or is it hell? Or something totally different? The people in the movie will talk about "getting out" in a few months. So does that definitely make it jail? Who's to tell. They also talk about what some will do to stay alive and eat. The main character's first roommate talks about why he does some of the things he is driven to do. He is clearly out of his mind, but he thinks that what he is doing is the proper thing to survive. Each month they get transported to a new room. Sometimes they go higher, making it all the way to the 6th floor. But other months they end up in the dregs, going as low as room 171. This is where all the mind games and tricks come into play. We also come to realize that some people are there voluntarily, while others are there for committing a crime or doing something wrong. The main guy is doing six months there so he can get a degree. But his first roommate threw an air conditioner out of his room that struck a passerby and ended their life. This brings the jail or hell question back into play. But the movie starts to take on a whole new level when the idea of a child is introduced. The main character has a roommate at one point who tells him that no one under 16 is admitted. But there is another person there who claims to be looking for their child. For a bit there's even a question if this kid exists. The "mom" does horrible things to a dog, and the dog's owner tells the main character that this "mom" is just a wannabe actor. But then some other stuff happens that makes me think the kid is real. Watch the movie if you want to know if the kid is real or not. But all the way through the movie many other things pop up. I put myself in that scenario and think, what would I resort to in this situation. You aren't allowed to hold onto food on the levels or else the people in charge will do something to the room, be it make it very hot or very cold. They show the kitchen staff throughout the movie, and they seem to truly care about the food they are putting on that platform. This led me to ask questions like, do they know where the food is going, do they like their job, do they know about the people? All of that came to mind while watching.

I cannot recommend this movie enough. I was engaged throughout and wanted to see more. They did make a sequel, which I will eventually watch. I thought that this was a solid movie with some really interesting conundrums. I say to definitely check this movie out if you have Netflix. 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.

Who Will Be UNC's Next Coach?

North Carolina men's basketball have let Hubert Davis go. He was in the title game in 2022, but two first round exits in a row seem to have been the nail in the coffin. Let’s discuss.

Hubert Davis played at UNC, had a solid NBA career, did some tv analyzing and took over as the head coach of his alma mater in 2021. He was there for five seasons, compiling a record of 125-54. That's an average of 25 wins a season, which is really good at the college level. He took UNC to the NCAA tournament four of those five years. The other season they finished 20-13 and declined an invitation to the NIT. In his four tournament appearances UNC had the miracle run to the title game in his first season, made the Sweet Sixteen the next time they made it, and then had to the two first round exits.

The run to the title was unexpected. They made the tournament as an 8 seed. They beat Baylor in the second round, who was the number 1 seed in their region. They then went on to beat UCLA Saint Peters, another Cinderella that season, to make the Final Four. That would have been exciting enough, but they weren't done there. They beat their rivals Duke to make the title game. And they had a big lead in that game until Kansas decided to make a run and win it all. That set the expectations high for Davis.

Not even making the postseason in year two was a bummer. But they returned the next season and made a Sweet Sixteen run, eventually being ousted by Alabama, who would go on to make the Final Four. Then they were beaten in round one the next year, and this year, blowing a 19 point lead to VCU. That was the final deed for the higher ups who make the decisions at UNC.

I do want to say, Davis was coaching without his best player, Caleb Wilson, and basketball is the one sport where one player can change a team's fortune. Caleb Wilson is that good. He is going to be a top five pick in the upcoming draft. And without him you could see that UNC was a totally different team.

If it were me, I would have given Hubert Davis a bit more leeway, another season to see what he could do with a new recruiting and transfer class, but UNC didn't see it that way. And now they are going to go on a big time search for their next men's basketball coach. It looks like they're going to take a big swing too. The early names being mentioned are the cream of the crop, and with the resources at UNC, they may be able to pry one of these coaches away.

Brad Stevens was the first name I heard, but he has already taken his name out of the running. That makes sense because he is doing the job he wants and he is very good at that job. Now that Stevens is out, names like Dusty May, Todd Golden, Billy Donovan, Tommy Lloyd, Nate Oats and TJ Otzelberger, among many others. The idea of Dusty May leaving Michigan scares me. He may want the pressure that comes with coaching a high profile basketball school. He has done wonders in two short seasons, but maybe he wants a bigger challenge. Todd Golden is at Florida right now, and they just got beat by Iowa. He has a national title, can recruit and has shown a nice ability, save for their last inbounds play last weekend, to draw up good plays. Billy Donovan is an interesting name. He has been in the pros for awhile now, but the Bulls are getting younger and he may be sick of this never ending rebuild. Maybe he wants back in the college game, and he is one hell of a basketball coach. Tommy Lloyd has Arizona as a real threat again. They're a number 1 seed and have looked great so far. He is also a very good recruiter and he puts players in the pros. Nate Oats is a jerk, but the dude understands the modern game and he is a very, very smart head coach. He makes his offense better with the plays he draws up. And TJ Otzelberger is young, upcoming and has one of the best defenses in college hoops right now. He also likes to bomb away from three point land.

All of these guys are very solid, very interesting options. I don't think Lloyd or Otzelberger will leave their current jobs. They seem happy and comfortable where they are right now. I don't think Billy Donovan wants to go back to the college game. He has been in the pros too long. Nate Oats and Dusty May should intrigue UNC very, very much. Oats, as I said before, is a college basketball offensive genius. He is prickly, but Roy Williams coached there for years. Dusty May knows how to use the portal properly, and has shown an ability to recruit high school stars. He also has a very solid offensive game plan for every opponent and defense has been Michigan's calling card all season. But I really think Todd Golden may jump at the possibility of coaching UNC. He has taken Florida to the top. He turned them into a 1 seed this year after a slow start. He can do all the things UNC will want in a new coach. Maybe this is just me hoping that Dusty May doesn't want to leave Michigan. Or maybe I just really, truly think that Golden is the best option of the names I listed.

Time will tell, I bet UNC is going to take their time, but if they are going to swing for the fences, these are the names I'd keep an eye on for the time being. 

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.

New Dune Movie First Then New Avengers Movie

The other day my son and I were talking about upcoming movies that we were excited to see. He's really into superheroes, mainly Marvel, stuff. I tend to like weirder movies. I prefer independent stuff, stuff off the beaten path or well made blockbusters. So, when he told me that "Avengers: Doomsday" and "Dune: Part 3" were coming out on the same day, it was a bit of a shock to me.

These movies are both going to be big deals, and both should make a good amount of box office money. I fully expect the superhero movie to make more, they have a wider fan base, but this final installment of "Dune" should bring in decent money as well. But the thing that surprised me most was when my son asked which movie I wanted to see more on that day, and without hesitation I said "Dune".

There was no second thought. It was as easy an answer that I have had in awhile. I have thought more and more about why this is the case, and I think I have finally figured it out. I'm over superhero stuff. This has been happening for some time now, but it just hit me during this conversation with my son. There's just too much backstory and lore that I have totally fallen off from to this point. I will still go watch some of this stuff, but only because my wife or son wants to see it. That is why I went to the newest "Fantastic Four" movie. My son was amped, he asked us to go and I love seeing movies in the theater. And while that movie was enjoyable, there was stuff in it that I had zero idea what it was all about. The same thing happened for me during "Deadpool and Wolverine". My wife was all about seeing it, I like Wolverine stuff, so I went. But I was completely confused by the whole TVA thing, until my son told me that that company is in "Loki". I watched the first season of that show, but stopped after the first episode of season 2 because I had no idea what other superhero stuff they were putting in that show. "Deadpool and Wolverine" was fun as well, but I was still scratching my head during the plot points of that movie. And I am just assuming that this will be the case for "Doomsday". I'm sure I will go see the movie in the theaters with my family. I'm sure I will have a good time. I'm sure my son will be hyped afterwards. And I'm sure that it will further confuse me as to which lore they use from the MCU. That's all well and good if the movie entertains me. But if someone asks me about why so and so did such and such, I'll just shrug and assume it must be something from past comic books.

Now this all may sound crazy to anyone that knows anything about "Dune", but I have made the effort to read and research and try my best to understand the lore of "Dune". I've read the books. RD and I have talked about it on the podcast before. I have watched pretty much everything related to "Dune". This is because this whole world and story fascinates me. I love the whole idea of spice and riding worms and battling and everything associated within this world. And I know, if given the choice, I'd pick to see the newest "Dune" movie ten times out of ten over any superhero movie. I prefer the way the story is told. I am a humongous Denis Villeneuve fan. I love the way he directs and he has been able to make not only "Dune" accessible, but he made a proper sequel to "Bladerunner", with "Bladerunner 2049". He is a wonderful maker of movies. And, even with him popping off at the mouth about everything lately, Timothee Chalamet can act. He has crushed pretty much every role he has taken on as of late, and he is Paul Atreides. I no longer give Kyle McLachlan the title of Paul. It is just Chalamet. And then I look at the cast for the new "Dune" movie, which I mentioned when talking about the recent trailer. These are people I trust when they pick a project because I know they're going to bring their A game.

So when it comes down to which blockbuster movie to see this summer, especially if these two are opening on the same day, I'd pick "Dune: Part 3" every single time and I'm not mad about that fact at all. 

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 First Rounds of the Men's NCAA Tournament

The first weekend of the men's NCAA basketball tournament has come and gone like a whirlwind. I watched a ton of the games, and my son's team who qualified for state, and I have some thoughts.

The very first thing I thought of this morning as I updated our brackets that, for the most part, the big spenders in NIL are winning games, and winning them with relative ease. Every one seed, save for Florida, more on them in a bit, had little to no trouble making it to the Sweet Sixteen. I watched Michigan, who held a slim four point lead in their round 1 game, end up rolling both opponents on their way here. They won their first game by 21, and they beat SLU by 23. They have looked good and I have been enjoying watching them play. Arizona had a battle for about two minutes last night against Utah State, and made easy work of their first two opponents. They have been bigger, faster and overall better than both teams they have played. And Duke, even though they had a first round fight with Siena, easily dispatched with TCU and looked back to normal. They are as good as a team is in men's college hoops this season, and with the benefit of the refs' whistles, they should make the Final Four.

Florida, the number one seed that worried me most, proved why last night. They couldn't even get a shot off in the final seconds. They struggled to guard Iowa. They struggled on the boards. They weren't hitting shots. And when you combine all of that, that results in the madness of March. Iowa played well, don't get me wrong, but Florida blew it last night and they are the first number one seed to be bounced from this tournament. And it happened before the Sweet Sixteen. It is hard to go back to back in college sports, but I expected them to be playing this weekend. My hat is off to Iowa though. They slowed the game down, had Florida play at their pace and level and won the game on a last second three. It was your quintessential upset.

Other than the one seeds, we have one double digit seed here, Texas. Texas has played very well, they played their way in from the First Four and beat two quality teams in BYU and Gonzaga. They will be up against it playing Purdue, but they have more than proved their worth so far in this tournament.

Every other team, save Texas and Iowa, is a 6 seed or better. We have six Big Ten teams. I mentioned Michigan and Iowa already, and joining them we have Michigan State, Illinois, Nebraska and Purdue. Purdue and Michigan State belong and have looked very good in their first two games. Nebraska survived a buzzer beater and look to be on borrowed time. And Illinois may be playing the best of any Big Ten team right now. They have blown by their first two opponents and look as locked in as ever. The Big 12 have three teams, Arizona, Houston and Iowa State. Houston looks as good as Illinois, but they play better defense. Iowa State is making shots and they are lethal when they are hitting threes. And Arizona is a legit one seed. They are so damn good in every facet. The SEC also has three teams, Arkansas, Alabama and Tennessee. Tennessee squeaked by Virginia, and without the help of late whistles, they may not be here. They are about to hit a buzzsaw in Iowa State. Alabama beat the snot out of Texas Tech last night and have me very worried as a Michigan fan right now. They look very good and very determined. And Arkansas, mainly Darius Acuff, have been as elite as they come on offense. They needed a late game surge to beat High Point, but High Point was the early darling and they were making shots. Darius Acuff is so good and I'm stoked he is getting proper billing as a top prospect in the next NBA draft. And we round out the Sweet Sixteen with two Big East teams, St. John's and UConn. St.John's won on a buzzer beater over KU, but I felt like they were the better team. They're tough as nails and they will make Duke uncomfortable this weekend. UConn looks to be back to normal and they are mashing teams on the boards and hitting outside shots. I'm really excited to root for them when they take on MSU this weekend. UConn has always held a place in my heart, they may be the only college team other than Michigan that I have ever liked, so they will get my allegiance in their upcoming game.

But, the sheer fact that no mid majors are in the Sweet Sixteen, that only four mid major teams won a first round game, and then were easily disposed of by a power conference team, that should show you how big the gap is right now in the NIL era. The teams that can spend the most are winning at the highest clip. Michigan has four starters that are transfers. St.John's best player started his career at KU. Arizona is filled with transfers and five star freshmen. Duke has the best freshmen NIL money can buy. This is the way of college sports right now, and it will stay this way until some regulations are put in place. Until then, the tournament, and any other playoff scenario in major college sports, is going to be filled with teams that spend the most. That is how it is. That's good for me as a Michigan fan, but I get the frustration from fans of smaller schools. It takes away some of the beauty of the tournament.

Where we stand today, I have all four of my Final Four teams left. I have my title game still in play. I got 11 of 16 Sweet Sixteen teams right. And it is because I went chalk. And with all this being said, I still had a blast watching all weekend, and I cannot wait to watch this weekend. I love college sports, and I adore the tournament. 

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.

AJ Dybantsa Made His Case to Be the #1 Pick in the NBA Draft

I am beginning to believe that AJ Dybantsa should be the top pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Let’s discuss.

Some things have to fall into place for this to occur. The team that ends up drafting first will need a score first wing. Dybantsa has said he may come back to school for another year, I don't believe that. And he has to put together solid workouts throughout the draft process. But what he did yesterday, that was more than enough for me to push him ahead of guys like Daryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson. Those four guys have been the talk of the whole season. They seem to be the consensus top four guys in the draft. But I feel like Dybantsa's game yesterday really put him over the edge. Look, I fully understand that BYU was beaten in that game, but it had nothing to do with how he played. Dybantsa did everything he could to keep his team in the game. He scored 35 points. He had 10 rebounds. He moved the ball on offense. He put forth effort on defense. He looked every bit the best player that is now draft eligible right now. I have concerns about the other three guys I mentioned, but none of that comes to mind when I watch and think about Dybantsa as the top overall prospect.

Cam Boozer is the closest to Dybantsa for me. He is a very good big that can stretch the floor. He is also a solid rebounder. His defense leaves me wanting, but that can be fixed. The issue I have with Boozer, he isn't as complete as Dtybantsa is right now. Boozer tends to float in and out of games. He goes much harder on offense than defense. And he seems to let little injuries affect his game. I still think Boozer is the clear second best prospect, but he is far behind Dybantsa for me.

Everything that has been said about Peterson's lack of caring feels more true everyday. He is an amazing talent, he makes it look so effortless on offense. But he truly does drift in and out of games. He has asked to be taken out of games. His coaches have questioned his will. It may be unfair, but the proof is out there. Peterson has all of the skills in the world, but if he isn't willing to put in the work, I don't know if a franchise should use their first overall pick in the draft on him.

Caleb Wilson is kind of an enigma to me. I watched him play earlier this year and came away super impressed. He made UNC look like a legit threat in the ACC. He can go inside and out. He puts forth tons of effort. He is a good basketball player. But he has some injury that shut him down for the rest of the season. This happened about a month ago, but he missed all of the crucial games it felt like, and that was when UNC needed him most. I understand that he has a clear future in front of him. He is going to make millions of dollars in the NBA, and he probably didn't want to risk getting hurt again, or making his current injury worse. But the other three guys played through the year, or are still playing. The lasting image I had of Wilson was him in street clothes watching VCU beat UNC. That would make me pause a bit before deciding to draft Wilson first overall.

All four of these guys have a case to be the number 1 pick. Peterson was the consensus number 1 for a long, long time. But then the drifting in and out of games occurred. Wilson was making a good case for himself until he got hurt and missed the rest of the season. Boozer has all of the skills in the world, and his team has more games left, which means he has more of a stage to boost his stock. But he has some clear gaps before he catches up to Dybantsa. And what I saw from Dybansta last night really blew me away. This kid is really, really good. He seems to love the game. He puts all of his effort out on that court. I don't know why any team would take anyone else first overall. Even if I had a glut of wing players, I'd make room for Dybantsa. He feels like a player you can build around. He is only going to work harder to get better. He has a passion for basketball and I would be pounding the pavement to take him first overall.

Time will tell, but Dybantsa really looked like the best prospect for most of the season, and especially last night, in the upcoming NBA draft. The kid can ball. 

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.