I Feel It In My Fingers, I Feel It In My Toes...

I'm a little rusty at this, so please excuse the countless typos, grammatical errors and redundant statements that are about to unfold in front of you...

And just like that, we’re at the end of the semester.

Three class days left, folks, and then it’ll be all with the people in Europe and no football games and slippery slope until we’re seniors and I want to just curl up into the fetal position and weep for joy and a fear so deep of the real world I don’t even want to think about it right now.

(And by real world, I mean Real World, as in “If Real World: Denver turns into the Alex and Colie show, ala Melinda and Danny in Austin and Ace and whateverhernamewas from Paris, I’m going to be tuned out by January.” More on this later.)

I’m not sure where to rank this semester. The football season had some high points, and then some twenty-point lows, and the added variable of Tommy/Paul and Christina/Katie out at TC made up for the fact they took our beautiful, beautiful bar away. My classes were a mix of totally and fantastically awesome and “Bleh, I hope I get my B+ and can move on”. For the lone semester of junior year when most everyone was here – with a few exceptions of evil traitors who defected across oceans during football season and the only part of the year where South Bend is meteorologically tolerable – it wasn’t a great success, but I liiiiked.

This site took a nosedive to the work over at Rakes, and for that, I apologize. But honestly, I wasn’t qualified to be talking about most of the stuff I used to. Between RecSports, The Observer, class and having to read hundreds of words on college football per day just to stay on top of things, I only made it to a handful of movies (although really, more than I usually do while at school), had my television watching limited to a half dozen shows (which still sounds like a lot, but hey, it’s me) and haven’t got to follow the NFL like I used to (which isn’t my fault, since I’m sans Sunday Ticket).

But I’m back now, fingers crossed and totally for true. Considering the academic hell that this past week was, the next twelve days are going to be comparatively smooth. I’ll take requests for whatever anyone wants me to write about. I’ll rent movies, marathon your favorite television show and you know you’re going to get hundreds of words on your 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers, defending (totally legitimate, without the aid of an absurdly easy path or the referees) Super Bowl Champs! I’m back, baby, since college football’s dark period and the upcoming semester break leave me with all sorts of beautiful time.

Let’s walk, shall we?

*

SUGAR BOWL SUGAR BOWL SUGAR BOWL SUGAR BOWL.

I couldn’t be more geeked for New Years in New Orleans.

JaMarcus Russell: Someone took a defensive end, attached a rocket launcher to his arm and sent him to destroy the Irish.

Plane ticket? Check. Hotel? Check. Heavy underdogs against a team that reeks of heinous, obnoxious speed at every position? Check. The Irish go into this game with literally nothing to lose, having already been pasted by the Wolverines and Trojans, so that means everybody wins:

It’s a four-day period of no consequence! With the French Quarter! And newly minted 21ness! I’m going to be absolutely, 100% totally broke by the time I arrive in DC in the middle of January, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about that.

(There’s also rumors of riverboat gambling, and if they prove to be true? Yikes…)

(Also, speaking of DC, I ended up getting an internship with Meet The Press. I’m pretty sure that’s going to involve getting up at like three in the morning every Sunday, so huzzah! The Wizards never got back to me, and because of that, I’ll forever be somewhat judgmental of Agent Zero for the rest of his career. It’s sad, but I am vindictive.)

*

I made a brief little rant on The Real World earlier, but I do that only because I know it can be good. Key West was pretty damn good. San Diego was definitely tolerable, with a bevy of high points. Las Vegas was decent until Trishelle’s STDs fogged up the cameras. Denver has potential, but if every episode revolves around drunk Alex, his weird alternate personalities and Colie, who’s hot, but after countless close-ups on her face, you start to think there’s something wrong, then I’ll be very upset. I’m not sure if it’s a Katie Holmes stroke victim facial tic, or just something disproportionate, but it’s awkward after two episodes.

Still, her waking up to find her new favorite boy toy and her roommate’s pizza burning in the oven while they hook up in the guest bedroom? That’s a fantastic opening episode, but the first ones always are great. It’s the consistency that’s hard to keep.

Chad’s sorta the expert on the series, and we both agree that the house is way too big. Has there always been a guest room? I remember Austin had that hidden editing studio, but nothing like a freaking Jeep bar. If they get over this Colie/Alex thing earlier, leaving us more time for the rest of the roommates to play a role. When the show revolves around only one or two characters, and those one or two characters are annoying/mildly retarded, then it doesn’t work. Here’s hoping we can make it two good Real World seasons in a row.

*

Movie bits from the last month, quick-as-possible.

Marie Antoinette: Very shiny, but any film shot in Versailles should be shiny. Loved the modern songs on the soundtrack – “I Want Candy” was perfect for the overindulging – but honestly, Sofia Coppola doesn’t know how to end a movie. If you’re rusty on your French history, you’d literally have no idea what was going on outside Versailles, because there’s only two references to helping the American cause and then wham, there’s affairs and riots and it’s over. Also, Kirsten Dunst has to portray a fourteen year old to start. That goes about as well as you’d think it would.

Borat: What can I say that hasn’t already been said? It’s one hundred percent absurdity, but the brevity of the movie means that it doesn’t ever go too flat. A lot of people say it’s not as good as the show, but I think that might be somewhat obvious, since there’s a big difference between five minute segments and a ninety-minute feature. Still, there aren’t many opening night experiences that’ll compare to the packed house for Borat, with the diverse demographic of people all dying as the nude wrestling scene unfolded. I don’t know how it will hold up on repeated viewings, but for one time through, it was awesome.

The Prestige: So incredibly dark, but definitely worthwhile. The Christian Bale/Christopher Nolan/Michael Caine trio can definitely be one of the more productive in cinema, as this makes two straight great movies. There are two twists at the end, both which struck me as unfair upon first viewing. After letting it sink in, one half of it is really well worked out and the other one just requires a leap of faith in the storyline and a total lapse in believability. Hugh Jackman also rocks the house while Scarlett Johansson does her usual, which is look pretty and not really add anything to the movie other than that.

Casino Royale: A little bit lengthy, but a great return to classic Bond. Daniel Craig was, as predicted on this site the minute he was named the new 007, fantastic in the role. Of course, any movie that features fancy suits, extended poker scenes and a freestyle-run chase scene through a construction site. My only gripe? No sweet action scene with the James Bond theme playing over it, although I guess they figure Craig has to earn that honor. Also, it seems that many ladies considered Craig to be “mad hott” in the role. Australian females agree.

That’s right, I called it from the beginning. He was awesome. Trust.

*

I’ll get into this a little bit later, but with Scrubs back on television and firing at all cylinders and How I Met Your Mother banging out fantastic episodes week after week, The Office needs to do some work if it wants to stay the best comedy on television. I’ve been less than enamored with this season, and the huge cast is meaning less of some good things (Dwight in the last episode). Still, Ed Helms and Rashida Jones have been great, as well as the expanded role given to Kevin and Crede. Season two was a triumph in great television, while season three has just been really funny.

(Also, how does anyone support Pam in the Team Pam vs. Team Karen battle? I love the character and I adore Jenna Fischer, but she had at least three opportunities – on the Booze Cruise and twice during “Casino Night” – to get Jim. She screwed it up. Now, if she wants to earn him back, I’m all for it, but nothing should be given in this situation.

*

Just as the Steelers were all but eliminated from playoff contention last week after getting drubbed the Ravens, the Dolphins slim playoff hopes were extinguished with a loss to the Jaguars yesterday. Ronnie Brown was hurt and the two problems that plagued the team all year – offensive line and secondary play – reared their ugly head again. I’m going to start rooting for football teams that have great secondaries and quality offensive lines, just for the change of pace.

*

I don’t usually have time during the semester to read anything that isn’t assigned, but during our Niagara trip over Thanksgiving break, I plowed through Michael Lewis’ latest, The Blind Side. What a totally fantastic book, as it takes a highfalutin concept for football – the evolution of offensive line play to account for the increased speed of pass rushers - and then applies a great story of charity, redemption and a first chance for someone who wouldn’t normally get it. Highly recommend it for your Christmas break reading, even if you only have a slight interest in football.

Maybe the best part of the book? Michael Ohler, the behemoth high school senior being heavily recruited to play left tackle, gets visits from the likes of Nick Saban, Phil Fulmer and Ed Orgeron. Reading about the different styles applied by each man was a joy, and let’s just say I’m happy the Phins are under the steady, smooth hand of Saban. If someone went and talked to a lot of top high school recruits and their families about their experiences with college head coaches, then wrote a book about it, what sports fan wouldn’t read it? Yeah, it might depress you to see how much money is actually spent in wooing seventeen year old boys, but that be a helluva read.

*

We’re going to get into some Christmasy stuff very, very, very soon, so fear not. I’m going to start keeping track of links again, and you’ll have something to help you procrastinate during finals. I promise.

Also wanted to give major love to the women's soccer team, who despite losing yesterday in the championship game 2-1, gave the university a fantastic season of dominance. They went a month without allowing a goal. A sad ending shouldn't tarnish what was a great campaign, although ESPN's announcers did their best to make everyone forget Notre Dame was actually playing in the game. They should have at least let me and somebody who understood soccer broadcast the second half for the legitimacy of equal homerism.

I know, I know...

Long time, no post, and I apologize, but in honor of the newly released and apparently freaking awesome Bond flick today - probably won't be seeing it until Thanksgiving break - I present you with my favorite Bond Girl from one of my two favorite Bond movies: Barbara Bach in The Spy Who Loved Me.

So much to talk about, but we'll cover everything - Borat, Pam vs. Karen, the new Real World (yikes) - in the coming days.

Cinema Public Service Annoucement

According to the lovely lady on the phone I just talked to over at Kerasotes ShowPlace 16 on Chippewa - the theater that looks like a massive airplane hangar/aquarium - Borat will be playing there on Friday night. Unless this information is false, we'll be making a ticket run sometime Friday afternoon because I'd be highly surprised if the show didn't sell out, ala Ocean's Twelve freshman year.

I was worried Sasha Baron Cohen wouldn't be gracing South Bend when it was announced the movie was going to be in limited-wide release Friday, but my fears have been quelled. A great success, indeed.



Also, on the blockbuster front - because Borat will make a boatload of money, I assure you - the ever-fantastic Malcolm Gladwell penned a piece for The New Yorker about a mathematical equation that predicts blockbusters. It's odd, but an interesting read, considering the thought that goes in at this site about how does one predict a successful television program or film.

One Could Say The Oscar Season Has Started

Because I should be writing cover letters right now, but that would be absurdly silly when I have until Wednesday.

Finally got to see The Departed on Tuesday, and it was a mighty fine film. A great story that could have very easily gotten convoluted with all the twists and double-agentry, but the editing kept it crisp and the acting kept it engaging. Damon and DiCaprio were both awesome in their roles as two Massachusetts state troopers whose careers veer in extremely different directions, and between this film and their roles in The Good Shepherd and Blood Diamond (respectively), they should both be well represented at the Oscars. For some reason, this film isn’t getting consensus Oscar Best Picture Contender status, which bothers me, because despite the lack of a deeper message, this is a fantastically told story and a great movie.

The key to ninety percent of all quality entertainment, as stated here many a time, is the supporting cast, and Scorcese handles his pieces like the master craftsman that he is. The overall hierarchy of the police department is rather confusing, but you know Martin Sheen is at the top, and he’s very Martin Sheen-like in that role. Sometime he seems to be too quiet and you’re not really sure if he cares about his undercover operative at times, but his son in the film attends Notre Dame, so all is forgotten. Mark Wahlberg is his bad-ass second-in-command, while Alec Baldwin plays the not-so-hardcore superior of Damon. Or maybe he’s not his direct superior after a certain point; as I said, the most confusing part is the layout of the police department. Vera Farmiga (the chick from The Manchurian Candidate, I definitely had to look this one up) was serviceable as the police psych who dates Damon and treats DiCaprio.

The opposite to sheen is Frank Costello, the Boston crime lord played by Jack Nicholson. At this point in time, Nicholson just plays himself in every film, with varying levels of menace, confidence and comedy (all very high, most of the time). It’s somewhat distracting, but his mentor role to both Damon and DiCaprio is kind of fun. While someone else might have made the role a little more realistic, Nicholson was only slightly distracting, and in the end, I’m glad it was him in the part.

Overall, a great gangster movie, although again, there’s not really a Big Message to take away from it. Definitely worth your eight dollars, and definitely necessary fare to see before Oscar time.

(Tuesday was like Departed day, as Katie texted me in the middle of the film "the departed = woah" and Sean had an e-mail waiting for me when I got home extolling its virtues and slandering Clint Eastwood. I'm glad the box office is actually picking up a bit.)

~

Chad now resides down the stairs and across the hall from me as opposed to in the same room, which means that the television doesn’t stay on MTV 90% of the time as it did last year. Because of that minor factoid, I’m a little bit behind on things, like the fact that Real World: Denver starts in a few weeks. I was a huge fan of Real World: Key West, but so far, I’m not getting good vibes about this season. Maybe because Bunim and Murray haven’t been all that consistent in reason years, or that I can’t imagine Denver being all that interesting, save for that time the roommates were out and mistook Jake Plummer for a homeless man.

Still, my recent vacation from Music Television doesn’t mean I didn’t dive right back into the new season of Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel. It’s interesting to note that some of the competitors from the terribly horrible Fresh Meat season are onboard as cast members, meaning that this should really be called Real World/Road Rules/Real World/Road Rules Challenge Challenge: The Duel, or at the very least, Real World/Road Rules/Fresh Meat Challenge: The Duel.

Some of my Key Westers are already gone, thanks to an idiotic decision by Tyler in the first episode. Still, I like how this season is set up. There are no teams, and each challenge alternates between male and female elimination. If it’s a female elimination day, then the winning female in the individual challenge picks a male, who then picks a female, and so on and so forth until only one lady remains. That girl is bound for The Duel, in which they get to choose any other female to face except the winner of the challenge. They then battle it out one-on-one, loser going home. It fits well into a thirty-minute episode (Fresh Meat was an hour show split in halves, and didn’t work on a week-to-week basis for me) and the cast is diverse, cocky, competitive and hot enough, save for the eternally grating Beth, that I think I’m in for the long haul.

Still, one problem remains. He’s clouded the beautiful skies of Challenge for far too long, and I’m going to have to break some of the rules my classes here have taught me: If you have to use bold or italics to get your point across, your writing isn’t that strong. I’m not just going to use bold or italics here.

TJ LAVIN IS THE WORST HOST IN THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION. NO ONE IS WORSE AT THEIR JOB. HE CAN’T AD-LIB, I DON’T THINK HE UNDERSTANDS THE RULES AND IN NO WAY DOES HE ADD ANY DRAMA TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ONLY THING HE’S GOOD AT IS RUNNING THE AIR HORN, AND I’M SURPRISED HE DOESN’T SCREW THAT UP.

Okay, I apologize, but it needed to be said. He’s terrible. So bad. Just give me the hey day of Johnny Mosley, or even Dave Mirra. It’s important to have a host that fits your show. Seacrest is perfect for Idol, Probst for Survivor, Phil for Race and Bergeron for Dancing. Chuck Woolery and Bob Barker were born to host game shows. Mosley was perfect for some of the first challenges, and Mirra did great after him.

The only other flaw in the show is that I don’t think they try out some of the challenge events. Some are ridiculously hard, others are obscenely easy. They can’t steal a couple of Survivor’s brainstormers with free Jessica Simpson CD’s or Killers tickets or something? Come on, MTV. I’m moving on, as just thinking about TJ Lavin stumbling threw another line bothers me immensely.

~

When I think about scientific discoveries, I figured that invisibility would be one of the easiest to achieve. Think about it: all you would need is some sort of fiber optics, either bending light, or using extremely small cameras to gather the light and then project it on tiny LCD screens on the opposite side. Some form of internal computer would probably be needed, but this seemed significantly more possible than folding and then punching through the fabric of time

Well, the first steps towards invisibility have thankfully been taken, and now the monopoly held by Daniel Radcliffe is close to being lifted.

I also often wonder why we can’t control weather. Doesn’t the basics of weather just revolve around air temperature and the flow of warm and cold water in the oceans? Can’t lasers be used to control, or at least disrupt, the current flow of things? Why can’t hurricanes be knocked off course or weakened with counter fronts? You can tell I have the most basic understanding of how meteorology works, but you’ve got to agree that weather control with modern laser and satellite technology can’t be that hard.

~

It appears one of the new shows I loved the most out of the gate, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, is about to go the way of the dodo. The LA Times took a look at other much-hyped, little-watched shows, and I can remember a few, especially the dreadful American Coupling. Still, it’s worth seeing a few more episodes of this season through – the last one was not very effective, if you were to ask me or any others that watched it – because at the beginning of last season, there was talk of canceling The Office. Thank goodness NBC kept the itchy trigger finger resting then, and hopefully they do the same for Studio 60 and Friday Night Lights.

In other interesting news coming out of NBC, Zucker announced that there won’t be any new non-reality/game show programming on at 8:00, as it’s too expensive. That means current 8:00 hour denizens Office, Earl and Friday Night Lights will have to find new homes that don’t involve imminent cancellation. With NBC’s interest now turning towards game shows and reality content for the 8:00 hour, it’s the perfect time to implement my surefire game show concept:

Legends of the Hidden Temple: Primetime. The kids are gone, and so is Kirk Fogg. Think of Dog Eats Dog, with an abundance of twenty-something attractive people who have a propensity for using the pool provided on the set. The questions on the Steps of Knowledge wouldn’t be storyline based, but instead just general trivia. I’m basically ripping off Dog Eats Dog, throwing in a cheesy, talking stone head and adding in a sweet temple at the end which will not be two dimensional. The time limit will be higher, and with the modern advances in cameras and budgets, contestants will be able to go up and down, but also in all four directions. Action will have to be followed on giant screens by the studio audience, but that’s a minor detail in the overall scheme of things.

And after my rant above, it’s certainly important to have a quality host. Yours, clad in safari gear?

Ed’s Tom Cavanaugh. Or maybe John Stamos. But most likely Cavanaugh.

~

I’m extremely excited for Borat in a few Fridays. It appears to be a cinematic sure thing, but the only thing that worries me is the fact Americans are idiots more often than not, and without the financial support of Bible Belt soccer moms in Middle American, films cannot succeed. While you and your friends may be rolling every time you see the trailer, it doesn’t mean people who don’t even understand the concept of satire, let alone the genius of Sasha Baron Cohen. Cinematical tries to answer this question, and despite the amazingly positive reviews to this point, we’re only going to know come the box office tallies on November 5^th.

This a bit old, but Cracked runs down the top ten Borat skits. Should tide you over for a few more weeks.

~

Random Notes:

• Sometimes, people are so hot I want to kill myself. This is one of those times.
• If you’ve got some spare change, Gob’s Segway is on sale.
• I’ve already pretty much written off this new season of The OC despite the overwhelming presence of Autumn Reeser, and this trailer doesn’t inspire much more confidence in me. Ryan’s a cage fighter?
• Agent Zero has his own blog. Yes.
• A Fraggle Rock movie!? DOUBLE YES.
• I like it when Notre Dame haters, you know, actually come to Notre Dame and end up enjoying themselves.

A Long Time Ago, We Used To Be Friends...

That might be the longest break between blog posts since high school. Blame a combination of Notre Dame’s football implosion against Michigan and one of my roughest non-midterms/finals week of writing ever. But I’m here, and I have no interest in talking about Hamlet, Pennsylvania politics, the BCS, the role of women in medieval Irish literature, Jesus’ role as a dual agent or anything remotely-related to the Mario Manningham.

I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry. Matt said he was going to climb into cyberspace and burn down this site so clicking on it didn’t make him feel bad anymore. I’m back. Try to enjoy.

Grey’s Anatomy

That’s right, we’re going to return with some solid chick stuff. I really wish I enjoyed Grey’s more, but the truth is, I don’t. I find too many of the characters – or at least the leads – completely reprehensible. I can’t root for them. I don’t find it realistic. Although sometimes the random hospital patients are extremely likeable and therefore I find their stories compelling and tear-jerking, you understand that about fifty percent of them are going to die on every episode.

I’m paying attention to it now in the way you pay attention to the presidential election: maybe it’s not the most interesting thing to you, but it’s rather important in the area of television. It womped CSI in the first heads-up Thursday matchup, but after a rather weak premiere – ABC didn’t like the original, which was the second episode, so they ordered that one up – it picked up a little pace on Thursday night, although the lead between it and the bunch from Vegas grew a little slimmer. I don’t think CSI can pass Grey’s unless the quality bottoms out, if only because the former is a show you can Tivo and watch a few days later with little repercussions while the latter is a water-cooler/Internet discussion immediately after it’s airing.

Still, I don’t think I’ll ever enjoy the show beyond noting how completely selfish and terrible the characters portrayed by Patrick Dempsey and Ellen Pompeo are. I don’t like them. This is the couple we’re supposed to root for? A couple of homewreckers who sulk and whine most of the time they’re on the screen, taking responsibility for absolutely nothing they do? I read somewhere that they’re going to replace Ryan and Marissa as the couple nobody likes nor cares to stay together on Thursday nights, and I think that uncredited writer would be correct.

Fall Movies

We’re still a month out from Borat (why they didn’t release that in the summer when it would have been the hit is beyond me), but we’ve got the first big Oscar movie coming out Friday, with the absolutely wonderful looking The Departed. The first few reviews I read confirm the greatness, with Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Martin Sheen and Marky Mark Wahlberg all involved in the latest Martin Scorcese Oscar bait. How can you not be excited about that cast? Just look at the early reviews! I’m positively giddy just writing this.

Also, the Jude Law Curse continues as All The King’s Men flops horrendously. I think that’s karma from Sean Penn getting all snippy over Chris Rock’s Law/Tom Cruise comparison at the Oscars a couple of years back. Go and look at Law’s box office history sometime. Since he went on his crazy 2004 streak and tried to make a thousand movies in one calendar year, including great films like Closer, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and Alfie, he’s been the kiss of death for everyone. Jude Law, thanks for hexing Norah’s first cinematic venture. I hate you.

Also, just incase you somehow thought Dane Cook was still funny (he’s not), Employee of the Month should solidify the fact he is not. Still love the first CD to death, but success did not go well with the big guy.

Baseball

What’s that, you say? The Pirates season was a wash? Too bad you’re wrong, because Freddy Sanchez won the NL batting title! He also ended up leading the league in doubles and general awesomeness, all while rocking out a freaking club foot. Despite how completely dreadful the Pirates are year in and year out, maybe with Jose Bautista, Freddy and Jason Bay, there’s a little bit of hope for a nucleus next year. We’ll still probably lose close to a hundred games, but a guy can dream, right?

Also, very excited about the playoffs, although I’m pretty disappointed that the Cardinals ended up making it. Can’t wait to see the Padres try to get some vengeance for last postseason and eliminate the NL Central champions. Also, a couple of great pitching match-ups in the DS’s, as Johan Santana and Barry Zito open things up on Tuesday, with old friends and lovers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine going to the hill for Game Two of Dodgers/Mets. Plus, won’t every game of Yankees/Tigers be a David-and-Goliath-sort of war? No Red Sox, no White Sox and very sadly, no Phillies and no more Ryan Howard. Still, some nice distraction to get us to the NBA season.

The Office

Due to some misadventures with my credit and debit cards, I haven’t been able to get Season Two on DVD yet, but that countdown is clicking down rather quickly with a few shopping trips coming up this weekend with my dad coming to town. Simply put, the best comedy on television, and also one of the best dramas. Every show is a work of art, from the minor glances each character makes and general heartbreak surrounding some of the aspects of the show to the one-liners and Jim’s pranks on Dwight.

Season Three has been a hit and miss so far, in my opinion, with the season premiere being an A+ while the second episode left a little bit to be desired. Still, a bad episode of The Office – much like Arrested Development - is like a great episode of dozens of other shows, so it wasn’t a complete waste. Please please please borrow/buy/rent Season Two on DVD and get caught up, because your chances of getting a classic love story combined with gut-busting laughter are few and far between. Trust me.

Wordplay

When we were walking over to see this, MacKrell was angrily and confusedly asking if this was a movie about crossword puzzles.

“No Andy, it’s a movie about people. The crossword puzzles are just a theme for which to reach them.”

Of course, I had no idea for sure, but I could assume that the movie wouldn’t just be about the creation of crossword puzzles. Thankfully, it wasn’t. Instead, it was everything you could ask for out of a documentary – informative, yet crafted around a story and people you cared about. As cool as it was to see Jon Stewart, Bill Clinton and Mike Mussina extol the virtues of Will Shortz and the Times crossword, this film was really about the myriad of personalities competing in the National Crosswords Championship. That’s right, there’s a crosswords championship, and if you think I’m not going there at some point in time during my life, you’re crazy. It’s going to be me versus Patrick versus Sean versus MacKrell versus Caitlyn in a no hold’s barred square-filling war.

And the best part about the sensational 91 minutes of film? How about the fact that it’s directed by a Notre Dame grad and Dillonite? Patrick Creadon is going to accept his Oscar for Best Documentary and give a shout out to the Big Red and ND. How fantastic is that? Watch Wordplay. I demand it of you, somewhere between asking you to watch The Office and asking you to watch…

Veronica Mars

Which starts this Tuesday! WOOOO! Wanna see what the new intro looks like? Of course you do.

Now I’m not sure if I like the remix of The Dandy Warhols, as the original looked/sounded like this:

I’m a little scared about this season of Veronica. Not because it has to hold onto some of the failing Gilmore Girls ratings, but because this will be the first season where I watch it live. What’s it going to be like going a week between episodes, as opposed to my usual forty-five seconds when watching the DVD’s? Will I be able to make it? Who knows, but it’s going to be a painful journey for a while before we find out.

I’m going to dedicate an entire post to the genius of Veronica Mars, probably over fall break when I have nothing to do but read for pleasure, hang out around the Ranchero and catch up on Laguna Beach. Season One is just setting here in the room, waiting for some brave soul to risk their GPA and any sort of free time they have to watch it. It’s like crack, only crack addicts can go through rehab and eventually return to a normal place in society. Kristen Bell doesn’t allow for such regression to the norm.

~

Next post will be about some of the new shows this season – Studio 60, how I love you – and then maybe we’ll get onto some NFL stuff, although a lack of Sunday Ticket leaves me so unqualified to commentate. Still, what would be football season without some Dolphin lamenting (We suck) and Steeler bashing (you guys suck, too, but not nearly as bad as the orange and teal)?

If ever again a greeting I send, long and rambling to the soul I intend.