Click here to watch Secret Chimp in a new window
This was an actual show. I believe my brothers had the album by the Banana Splits.
January 31, 2012
Winter golf
If you have never read the book “Running the Table”, then go and pick it up. It’s a great read. It tells the amazing story of Kid Delicious. It came out a few years ago, but it’s evergreen.
January 29, 2012
Downing: John Henry in a white suit
Robbie Fowler still has the white suit. He is blase about it saying that if they’d won, no one would care, and I think he’s right about that. So much of media stuff deliberately manufactured and manipulated. Have a look at newsbusters.org any day to read examples from bias to outright lies.
Anyway, my brother and I have a fascination with Fowler and I had not seen the white suits in years. I still recall the sting of Cantona’s goal. I was at O’Donahue’s on 1st Street in Hoboken, NJ. I recall the ball brushed Ian Rush as it went by and I always thought, “…how odd that his last touch in Red was that one.” Cruel really. Things like that made yesterday all the more sweet.
There was one alarming piece of news regarding the Downing transfer. It is theorized that Werner and Henry were duped by this video of Downing putting balls into trash cans willy-nilly, from 30 yards. If you play footy, you know instantly that this is doctored footage. Once or twice you could get lucky, but it’s clearly not real. And even if it were, the game of football has so many different skills, that even if you could do that, it wouldn’t guarantee that you’d be a top EPL player!
So the urban legend that is building is that the stupid Americans got duped by this video and overpaid for Downing. While I’d like to think there was SOME explanation for it, this is bad. This will turn the fans on the American owners and now, as soon as anything negative turns up, the ire will be directed at John Henry. The Yanks need to do some serious damage control asap! This is not a good thing longterm. They’ll never live this down. They have gone from the guys who swooped in and, with Liverpool 4 hours from bankruptcy, saved the team and righted the ship. It was a great platform from which to start, but, I’m afraid, is pretty much undone in this one story, true or not.
Being that Henry made millions in farm futures, you are pretty sure that there is no grass growing under him. I don’t believe that their due dilligence was limited to this doctored video. I don’t doubt that the video might have piqued their interest, but I would like to think they did more homework, but, with the fans we’re looking at, it won’t much matter once this becomes accepted as “the version” of what went down. They don’t need much convincing to buy the “Americans are stupid and know nothing about soccer” meme. Henry might just as well show up at Anfield in a white suit next time. Is he Fowler’s size? The suit still hangs and is a phone call away.
January 24, 2012
The greatest thing ever toobed
This could be the greatest thing I’ve ever toobed…behold:
Click here to see the new Kolchak video in a new window
I love the show. I have the boxed set and drive my wife nuts with it. She doesn’t understand the fascination with it. Oh well. Anyway, this fellow with the action figures?? Whoahhh. The Kolchak is home made apparently from a figure of McGavin from The Christmas Story. The thing that kills me though, is that he went and made a Vincezo doll! One of the first comments is something like, “…dood, where did you get the Vincenzo doll?”
The Night Strangler has to be one of the best low budget (heck, ANY budget) films of all time. And no, there can be no Night Stalker without McGavin and Simon Oakland. Don’t give me Depp; don’t give me stupid Fox Mulder, a show that went for, what? 10 years and paid off on nothing? Bah.
***
While I’m at it. Football. The Giants were lucky. They couldn’t move the ball. Yes, their defense was good but without turnovers, they don’t score. I also think Flacco was robbed and that ball was a catch and if Brady had thrown that (tuck play?) ball, it would have gone for 6.
Why the number is only Pats -3, I don’t know. I’d take them to about -6. I didn’t think Tyler’s National anthem was that bad. It was not good, but it was not disrespectful. He honored the song mostly and he’s not a great singer without all sorts of production from the board. Honestly, people over rate these rock guys so much, I wanted to scream, “…what did you expect?”
Who should sing it at the Soop? Well, you can’t get more NJ than the Giants so you should bring in Floyd Vivino. That’s right, Uncle Floyd. He’s appearing for the Children’s Love Fund in Midland Park at the Catholic Church in Feb. Support the Floyd. He’s a little bit of vaudeville still going strong.
Speaking of Tyler, I heard a great factoid recently on Mental Floss, I think it was. Apparently, there are 2 grand children of President John Tyler still alive as we speak. This man became President in 1841. They are not great or great-great. They are grandkids. Their father was his son. Far out.
January 14, 2012
Time solo
Click to hear the solo from Time by Dave Gilmour
I think this is the one I was thinking of when I posted the one from Breathe. Love the economy of Dave Gilmour. He lets notes breathe (no pun intended). He knows when NOT to play, which, is just as important as what TO play. He obviously loves the sustain, but he uses it tastefully. He lets the piece come to him. That’s not always easy.
Lately, I’ve been doing some recording and much, much more driving to and from work, so I’ve been listening to old stuff with new ears. Driving along, with the headphones on, listening to something I’ve heard 1000 times (like Dark Side) and noticing all the little subtle things they have put in there, every so deftly. You hear stuff buried way down in the mix and it might just be a few phrases on a guitar but it’s placed just so. I hate gushing about rock, which, to my mind, has been overdone to death, but point is, these guys cared about the product, obviously. They were quality. Even Gilmour’s voice is great. I don’t think they did a lot with it–don’t think they had to. It’s a shame they fought and didn’t put out more output. And by “fought” I am referring to Waters just becoming insufferably preachy and maudlin with The Wall and the one that came after. You can hear the anger creep in on Animals, but to me, the music saves the angry theme. Oh well. Enjoy.
The Kop for 4 year olds
Sitting at the kitchen table and “watching” the Liverpool game on the laptop. With Liverpool TV, you can’t see certain matches, but you can listen to the commentary or watch the video commentary. The video commentary is funny, because they can’t show the game. So you are watching a shot like the photo above. They show the crowd.
So naturally, my 4 year old son is asking me “what are you watching?”. So you find yourself describing what you see. And he thinks it’s the greatest thing in the world. Pretty soon you are describing The Kop; it’s one level all the way up. The Annie Road end? 2 decks and you’ll see sun on top of it because the sun sets over The Kop.
Now we have the globe out and I’m trying to explain sunsets. You have to start somewhere. Then we’re drawing pictures and diagrams on paper so he understands why he can’t see the Centenary Stand (because THAT’S where the camera is!).
Next, we flipping coins to demonstrate how they choose sides and I’m explaining that when Liverpool wins the toss, they like to defend the Kop in the first half so that they are attacking the Kop end in the 2nd half. Also, at a 3pm kick off, the sun in the eyes of the keeper at the Annnie Road end is a factor. Other teams like to deny Liverpool this. Does he understand any of this? Not sure.
Looks like another draw. Aren’t Downing, Henderson and Adam great? And Carroll doesn’t start at 35 million. C’mon Kenny! This is getting old. Your new signings can’t play that one incisive ball in to the striker in a dangerous spot. Also, it sounded like the ref waved off about 3 legit chances for Liverpool penalties. The anti-Liverpool, anti-Suarez campaign is in full swing. Great. Let’s just cancel the league and give the title to Man U in perpetuity! That’s how it’s set up, isn’t it?
Go Tebow! Shock the Pats! Annoy the anti-Christian Liberals everywhere (and mostly in the media)! Woo Hoo!
January 13, 2012
January 8, 2012
David Seville was really Ross Bagdasarian
Click here to read the piece on David Seville
My kids love the Chipmunks CD now. If I yell “Alvin!” in a loud voice, they will both yell, “o KAY!”, in response as Alvin does. It got me curious as to how they did the voices. Obviously it’s a speed up job, but I was surprised to learn that Seville/Bagdasarian did it all on his own with a variable speed tape recorder that was different in that it allowed more freedom than other models.
So here you have a small technological advantage that this Entrep/Artist takes advantage of and turns into the Chipmunks.
***
Also came across a movie that I loved as a kid in the 1970′s. Emperor of the North with Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin. It was about Hobo’s riding trains in the depression. You Tube now makes it a snap to pull up a clip and I pulled up this one. Watching it, I realized just how breathtakingly bad was the script and dialog in this movie. I thought about how I loved this movie as an impressionable kid and what absolute trash it truly was. The older I get, the more I think that almost everything on TV and out of Hollywood is just outright rubbish. Not worth your time. Watch Curling instead. Don’t let your kids watch too much of it either.
January 3, 2012
All made up
Played my indoor soccer league tonight. As the readers know, I began playing again after about 30 years of not playing. It’s hard to get going again, but great for fitness and fun at times. Indoor has been tough. It’s fast and you have to weight balls perfectly and with 7 v 7, you are always moving, so being in shape is paramount. You get a cold or sinus infection and stop running (and start eating) and you have trouble getting it back.
There are some guys in their 20′s and naturally, some guys with mad skills playing. You show up with the rust, and they judge you very quickly and you see little of the ball after the verdict has been rendered.
I was always a striker as a kid, but that was 30 years ago and everyone wants to play up there and there’s a pecking order. So I am learning defense and making do. I’d love to play up, but even if I get an odd shift forward, which can happen with subbing, I don’t get the ball up there. So I’m making runs and I’m INVISIBLE. So that’s not the answer. But, you always feel in your mind that you could do well if given the chance.
Tonight, I get thrown up front early and quickly I get a a ball well out from goal that is falling to my left. I have my back to goal. I spin around and just instinctively take it off the bounce as I’m spinning and catch it real good and it goes in from distance. I heard someone make a crack about “goal of the year”, so that is nice to hear. I’m thinking to myself, “…hey, I might be a load on defense, but I can turn and shoot and finish…”
Next shift I’m up front again and my friend who I car pool with is tied up near goal with a man or two draped on him and I go drop for him and he looks up and sees me and rolls a nice ball to me and I step into it and catch it 100%, low and hard. The keeper sees this and he’s ready, arms out, and it just lasers past his head–nothing he can do. What a nice feeling to catch it square and keep it down. Again, I am thinking, “…I can do this”.
The game is 2-2. Then we go down 3-2. The play was physical. It was the kind of night with a kind of weird energy. Lot of hard challenges on 50-50 balls and the ref is letting all kinds of physical stuff go. The young guys are getting mad and they want to win. The old guys just want go to work the next day–that’s the difference.
I was going to go in, but the sub would have put me at midfield and I didn’t want that in this close game, so I let the other guy have it and he goes in and scores and it’s 3-3 now. We fall behind again 4-3 and I get a shift up front. My thinking was that these guys were fast and skilled and I didn’t want to be playing defense on them in a close game that the young guys wanted to win so badly. So when I could get a shift up front, I took it.
I ended up inside the 6 and a corner got through to me and I tucked it in nice and calm for #3. You have to understand that I don’t score. There are several guys on the team who will not pass me the ball almost under any circumstances. While that hurts somewhat, I do understand the jock-ocracy and why it is. Still, you win plenty of 50-50 balls and it doesn’t much matter. Besides, it’s tiring to have a lot of the ball and a lot of the time, I’m looking to conserve energy and don’t want the ball. But up front, you have to make runs and do positive things or it stands out. So it was nice to be scoring goals. The last one, ANYone on the team might have scored, but still, I got myself into the correct spot and that’s key. Be where you’re supposed to be is half of it.
The first 2 goals? I don’t think anyone on the team would have even shot the first one and the second? Low percentage; maybe 2% of those get hit well and beat the keeper in that situation. So obviously, as they say in Liverpool, I’m all made up about tonight. I had a bad game 3 weeks ago and thought of dropping the indoor. Just saying “I pulled a hammy” and bagging it. I think that was a night I was wide open for drop on a guy who was getting stripped and he looked up and saw me and I saw him recognize me and DQ the idea to drop it to me. And there was no one within 15 yards of me. We’re talking IN SPACE. And, yes, that, and s***ing most of the night, hurt. You wonder, “…at my age, why am I doing this?” For nights like tonight. That’s why.
And it was funny too, because I look at these things like a Sociology experiment. I observe and I enjoy noting what the group dynamic is. Some guys might be oblivious that they don’t get passed to or just not care. I notice it and track it. Nothing personal, I just find it interesting. So tonight, I noticed that no sooner do I score the cracker–the first one, that wah-lah, I’m getting service [angels singing], and of course, I did nothing with it (almost nothing).
But it’s funny. If you watch. A “good” player will lose the ball and play bad balls a lot of the time, but that is overlooked. A player like me has a clunky touch and you can just hear everyone, “…oh, look, he can’t do this or that”. It’s just the way it is. I’m not making a normative judgement. It is what it is and I find it interesting.
I’m also finding it interesting how much of this game is confidence: Between the ears. I thought baseball was the most mental game (well, golf), but this is up there. You can have made skills and it won’t do you any good if you don’t have the confidence to back it. And in soccer, confidence can be audacity almost. There’s a reason that good strikers are almost universally Big Prima Donnas–because to be good, you must think you are superman, and MEAN it. I think of Cantona. He was nuts. There wasn’t anything he didn’t think he could do on a pitch.
Scoring a goal is HARD. It’s ridiculously hard and to do it, you have to make very quick, very risky decisions, most of which, will turn out bad and look quite selfish; but you must do them to score! And you can’t be self conscious to take those selfish risks. Look at my first goal tonight. No one would hit that ball. But I play a lot off the wall and I have, for years, enjoyed practicing the turn-and-hit. Left side, right side, what have you. When I saw the ball fall there (it wasn’t played TO me, just a random ball that fell to my vicin), I immediately felt comfortable and formed the thought, “…I can hit this well”, and so there was no hesitation whatsoever. In fact, I had been to the wall on New Years Eve and hit several of these in my workout. It was a warm day and I had a great workout–totally enjoyable. As I’m spinning to hit that ridiculous shot, all I need is a lane to the goal. There’s no time to look, you just factor it out and hope. In your mind, you have a very definite idea of exactly where you THINK the goal is, so all you’re doing is thinking: (1) hit it well (2) Keep it down and (3) on goal; edge of goal if possible.
One of the beauties of that shot is you are back-to-goal. With good defenders, you will get many balls in that state, so being able to do this is a big plus. The other thing is that it is such an outlandish strike attempt that goalies are flat footed, or better; they’re screened. They aren’t expecting a shot from that distance and position. You also aren’t lifting your leg and telegraphing a shot so some defender yells “shot!” and all of a sudden you have no lane. It’s funny, playing off a wall will not do much for your ability to play with others (I’m living that now), but it does totally hone your ability to one-time balls and be two-footed.
Hopefully, I’ll see a little more of the ball and hopefully, I’ll do good things with those opportunities and not just waste the little capital I’ve amassed with my team mates. I think I’ll have a window of about 1 game where I’ll be more involved. You know, I didn’t want to go around campaigning for playing striker. I just don’t want to campaign with my mouth. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping that I get up front a bit more. I won’t campaign though. And I’m not thinking that I can go out and do this routinely. Some nights the ball falls for you fortuitously and gives you chances to do things you know you can do. It ain’t baseball, where you’ll hit at least 3 or 4 times. In footy, you may not get the chances to do the things you want to.
Liverpool vs Man City in the league tomorrow. Then 2 more times in 3 weeks for the home and home semis in the CCup. I want the points tomorrow. Big time. 3pm game. I’ll watch the replay at night–no spoilers you emailers! Come on you Red Men!
