Arrow – If You’re Not Watching, You’re a Poltroon
What? I’m just saying it like it is! Everyone has that one (or twenty) show that they love, and that they post about (frequently) on Facebook. Well, Arrow is my show to post about. And since I’m aware of two other people who watch the show, I thought I ought to give the show a shout out and let the show’s creators know that there are viewers and that they shouldn’t even think about cancelling the show.
I admit that I was dubious when I first heard about the show. It centers around Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (played by Stephen Amell), who is a secondary DC character at best. He’s had a few good times, but overall, he’s pretty much overshadowed by more prominent characters such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern.
But I watched the show. And this even was a bit of a stretch, as this brought the number of shows that I currently watch to three. That number is now down to two, as I have pretty much stopped watching The Walking Dead, but I digress. I missed Arrow’s first episode, but picked it up with the second. I was able to piece together the basics pretty well.
When the episode ended, I wanted to see more. This is very rare for me when it comes to TV shows. Arrow doesn’t try to do too much – it’s not just a drama or just a comedy or a thriller – it combines all of these elements and seems to distill the best elements of them. It’s not a cop or law show (even though two of the main characters are a cop and a lawyer), and – best of all, to me – it’s not a hospital-based show. I think it’s safe to say that these three types of shows have been covered pretty thoroughly.
There are some Dark Knight/Batman elements about the show, but the similarities are not distracting or overwhelming. The show is thoughtfully written, capably acted, AND the folks who work on the show have done some homework. There are subtle changes to the source material – Starling City, shipwrecked on an island, a family life, “the Book” – but they get the broad strokes, and add in subtle references that enable comic book aficionados to smile and nod appreciatively, while not getting bogged down in the details and rendering the show unwatchable for the uninitiated.
Memorable esoteric moments include when Laurel (played by David Cassidy’s daughter Katie Cassidy) mentions wearing fishnets at a Halloween party. Or when Oliver refers to his younger sister as “Speedy.” Adding characters from other DC properties, such as Deathstroke the Terminator, The Royal Flush Gang, the Huntress and the Triad, which helps lend some depth to the proceedings. And if you miss the references, it doesn’t negatively impact the enjoyment of the show.
The way they handle the characters is refreshing, too. There’s a rotating cast, but they don’t all appear in every episode. Of course, there are some folks who do, but many of the seeming throwaway characters (Laurel’s cop father, Tommy, Malcom, the archer guy on the island, Deathstroke, Diggle’s sister-in-law, Felicity Smoak) have appeared more than once and are almost always used to good effect.
All I’m saying is that Arrow is a good show, and it would be cool if folks would take an hour from their day and watch it. It is saying something that I enjoy a show enough to ramble on about it for this long. I just don’t want it to be cancelled with so much potential yet to be tapped. And besides, after The Hunger Games and The Avengers, aren’t we all hooked on archers now?
Mind, I haven’t heard anything about it being on the cancellation block, but then again, I haven’t heard much about it at all. There are multiple interesting plot threads going on, and the latest episode actually surprised me with a revelation. It was one of those “Oh man, that sucks! I didn’t see that coming!” moments.
I think you’d like it if you watched. And then you might want to see the next episode. And I’d like it if talk of cancellation never comes about. And if you do tune in, maybe I’ll watch Honey Boo Boo in return. And if I’m willing to do that, I think you should be willing to watch Arrow.
Football? What’s A Football?
No! No! I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!
Well, since I can’t have that, I’ll have to settle for Football. And football picks. As Michael said yesterday, this will be short and sweet. But still chock full of the brilliant analysis and superior wit you five readers have come to expect.
Seattle at Altanta
Seattle has surprised me, I’ll admit. And they did survive the Dennis Erickson and Jim L. Mora stints. Time will tell if they survive Pete Carroll. Given his track record, I would advise the team to make copies of any trophies or awards they win just in case some despicable scandal comes along.
The Hawks are flying high after taking out the Redskins last week. They found plenty to whine about during the week between games (I heard that Carroll was complaining about the “sweat shop” condition of the field in Denver yesterday), so all is right in Grungetown.
Then there’s the Falcons. Last year, on this blog, I predicted the Falcons would lose to the Giants. Safe to say, I received many contrary opinions. I simply looked at “Matty Ice” and his playoff record (which was 0-2 at the time) and decided the Giants would not have any problems with the Falcons. This year, at 0-3, it’s not looking any better.
The Falcons have an advantage this year, in that they face the Seahawks and not the Giants. “Matty Ice” certainly does not want to be known as “Mini-Peyton” for his propensity for losing in the playoffs. And I’m sure he doesn’t want to hear “His nickname is Matty Ice because he melts in the playoffs.” Well, I think the time is right for the Iceman to cometh.
Score: Falcons 33, Seahawks 23
Houston at New England
This one is a lot easier for me. If New England does not win easily, I will:
- Drink a beer
- Eat chocolate
- Have some Diet Coke
OK, I would do all of those things even if the Pats lose. Which I am sure they will not. Bill Belichick is a master manipulator of his players. I’d bet he focused on J.J. Watt’s finger wagging in last week’s game and drilled it into his offense that he did not want to see any of that in this game. I found it kind of annoying, and I get the impression that Belichick-Fil-A is even more touchy than I am.
I expect the Patriots to feast on the Texans.
Score: Patriots 48, Texans 20
NFL Quick Picks
This is going to be a short post because I don’t feel like writing much today after wasting half of it sleeping, but since I went 4-0 last week (in my picks in the comment section of my fellow blogger’s posts), I figured I should at least take a minute to try and keep the streak alive, so with that in mind…
Broncos over Ravens
I don’t feel great about this pick, but I’ll go with Manning over the inconsistent Flacco. It’s usually not until later in the playoffs that Manning chokes anyway, so he should be okay here.
Packers over 49ers
My one upset pick of the weekend. I think this is the week that the Niners’ decision to bench Smith for the inexperienced Kaepernick will come back to bite them. I see the Packers coming out of a fairly unimpressive NFC pool.
Falcons over Seahawks
I really don’t think much of the Falcons and it would not surprise me if the Seahawks find a way to win, but I’ll give the edge to the team with more experience.
Patriots over Texans
Houston had been my preseason Super Bowl pick but I just can’t get behind them this week given how they finished the season. It looks like Brady is headed for another Super Bowl.
Well, like I said, short and to the point.
Will the Real Michael Robinson Please Shut Up
Clearly, the Seattle Seahawks whine machine has been firing on all cylinders. Running back Michael Robinson had this gem of a quote (borrowed, with all intended rights in place, from USA Today) after the win last week against the Redskins:
“The commissioner, and I know it’s a tough job, but he doesn’t mandate mouthpieces. You care about us, but you don’t mandate mouthpieces. You care about us, but we play on that field last week that was like, ‘Really? Really?’
“That should be illegal. That’s like working in a sweat shop to me.”
Really? Really? A sweat shop???
This ‘thought’ of his is almost beneath deserving any kind of cogent response, but since I am here anyway, I’ll give it a shot.
To paraphrase Hermione Granger’s admonition of Harry – as he ill advisedly soared upward for his first, teacher forbidden, broom flight – in Harry Potter and the Sorcer’s Stone movie: “What an idiot.”
OK, so Robinson is probably not an idiot. But after hearing/reading that quote, he sure sounds like one to me.
A sweat shop? Do pro athletes in general (and I am not saying all pro athletes are this ignorant) really see the world this way? I wonder if Robinson has any idea what a sweat shop actually is. I don’t really, either, but I would never compare my working conditions to that of a sweat shop.
Of course, since Robinson plays in the Northwest, he could ask a certain Chevalier shoe company founder about sweat shops – I’d think that there’s some expertise on the subject in those parts. Of course, let us also not forget that the gear that the urbane and pensive Robinson and his Seahawks teammates wear was most likely made in a real sweat shop.
Look – I’ll Voltaire any… person… who feels that they have something to say, but if what is said is something remarkably ignorant and stupid, then I’ll feel free to give my two cents.
If I’m in the Seahawks PR department, I’m sending a terse letter to Robinson asking him to never speak to reporters ever again. This same letter should also be sent to the coach with an addendum to think of whining as a recruiting violation.
Maybe the field was in crappy shape, and maybe the loss of a star player on that field is a shame. In the grand scheme of things, the actual conditions of a sweat shop are far more dire and tragic than any perceived indignity that this spoiled football guy has had to endure.
As if I didn’t have enough reasons already to root against the Seattle Whingers.
Please – Michael Robinson. Get some perspective. And think about what you’re saying before you say it.
Eagles Coaching Search Continues, Baffles, Amuses
The circus is in town, and it has settled into Lincoln Financial Field and it’s environs. I teased in an earlier post about the absurdities of the names that are being bandied about for the position. I maintain that Jon Gruden and Bill Cowher will not be the next Eagles coach. They’re pipe dreams, and I believe, the wrong men for the job.
Now I hear that Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly has been tapped for an interview. After his team’s scintillating performance against Alabama, I can see why they’d be so hot to trot. Just remember the Chip Kelly and Bill O’Brien lesson: both will likely look for more money from their respective schools, and neither, I believe, had any intention of taking a pro job.
So what else was on what passes for my mind? The Eagles will apparently be interviewing former Chicago Bears head man Lovie Smith. He’s an interesting coach, but, in essence, he’s very much like Andy Reid. Appearances in the playoffs, losses where there should have been wins, and considered a disappointment despite an overall enviable record. If your team is the Seahawks or Browns, Lovie Smith would be a great coach.
Not if you’re the Eagles. The Eagles need someone who is no-nonsense, a regular guy. Someone who comes with little fanfare, has a fairly deep NFL coaching resume, and – most important of all: Can get players to believe in his way and has a strong coaching tree.
In the last 20 years, few coaches have impacted the NFL more than Bill Parcells. His coaching tree includes Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin, who have five Super Bowl wins between them. Parcells is pretty much responsible for the Giants, Patriots, Jets and Cowboys having been competitive teams. All of these teams were in pretty dubious shape when he took over, and all of them improved immediately and for a good long while.
And then there’s the Dolphins. Parcells was named Executive VP of Football Operations in 2008 and named Tony Sparano coach. Sparano led the Fins to an 11-5 record in 2008 and a playoff appearance. Things didn’t go as well after that, and both Parcells and Sparano were gone after the 2011 season. Sparano then resurfaced as the offensive coordinator of the Jets in 2012. He was fired on January 7th after a lackluster season.
The Eagles could do a lot worse than Tony Sparano. The Dolphins were thin on talent in 2011, but they never quit on Sparano, winning six of the last nine games. This was done under great duress, during a time when the Dolphins managment very publicly and unprofessionally wooed coaches while Sparano still held the job. With this type of base leadership, it’s no wonder Sparano couldn’t make a truly decent team there.
Now, stop that scoffing and reread that last paragraph. When was the last time any Eagles team played with that much heart? They quit on Reid. It’s clear that Reid was gone anyway, but there was no team unity and no indication that the team felt anything for their coach. All I got from them was that they were waiting for the season to end. And so it did. With a big splat.
Sparano had to deal with his management interviewing other coaches while he was trying to save a sinking ship. The Fins started the season 0-7 and finished 6-10. That means that they were 1-7 and 5-3 if you split the seasons. Compare that to this year’s Eagles: 3-5 and 1-7.
I like the idea of a coach that inspires loyalty in his team, a coach that the players supported. A coach that the players felt that they had let down. A coach that the players were not happy to see leaving town.
Again, compare that to the Eagles. The fans, and seemingly, the players, were not all that upset about seeing Reid leaving. Everyone who bleeds Eagles green seems all too happy to blame Reid for the team’s woeful performance. Not much team unity or coach loyalty at all.
Oh – and in additon to being a part of Parcell’s coaching tree, Sparano has also spent time on the staffs of Marty Schottenheimer, Coughlin and Wade Phillips. This is a pretty good pedigree.
Philadelphia wants a winner, and it’s clear from the coach talk that the fans are willing to divorce reality when they talk about who should replace Andy Reid. More than anything, the Eagles need someone who is accountable, has a good coaching pedigree and doesn’t get into petty skirmishes with media or players. They need a good football coach.
They could do a lot worse than Tony Sparano. I expect some dissension and dismissiveness directed toward this recommendation, but I stand by it. Compared to some of the other names being proposed, is this idea really all that ridiculous? I think not.
Incorrect Playoff Picks, Sunday Edition!!
Well, after yesterday’s 0-2 whitewash, I am sure all five of you are just chomping at the bit to see the next round of predictions! Why waste time? Here goes!
Colts / Ravens
Well, how about that? One team that I can’t stand, and another team I am mostly indifferent to. Actually, I have no real issues with the Colts. Their loss (with Peyton Manning at the helm) to the Steelers in the 2005 playoffs remains one of my favorite games. It didn’t spawn the great Manning quote “Idiot Kicker,” but the Colts being in this game does give me a chance (if you allow the stretch) to use the reference here.
Add to that the thrilling Colt playoff loss to the Steelers in 1995, when Jim Harbaugh was the QB, and you’ve got a compelling team indeed. Of course, they did eventually win a Super Bowl (2007, remember?), so they have nothing to complain about.
As for the other team? Hmmm – I’m trying to think of nice things to say.
Trying.
Nope. Can’t do it. Can’t think of a single thing. I hope they lose, and I hope Joe Flacco throws four interceptions that go back for touchdowns. Unfortunately, I can’t completely dismiss them. They are getting a big steroid boost this week as the guy who symbolizes the Ravens (for better or worse), Ray Lewis, has announced that he will retire at season’s end. The only retirement announcement I thought was more dramatic was when Roddy Piper said he’d retire if Mr. T beat him at Wrestlemania 2.
Oh hell. The Colts have rebounded really well after losing Manning. Andrew Luck has proven himself to be quite a capable quarterback. But will it be enough? Unfortunately, I think that pure emotion and false sentimentality will win the day.
Score: 24-20, Ravens
Seahawks / Redskins
In an equally non-compelling game, the Seahawks take on the hype machine Redskins. Both teams actually have quite a bit of hype to cut through before you get down to brass tacks.
On the Skins side of things, you have RG III, a rookie quarterback who has done things that no QB has ever done. He throws, runs and wins games. We’ll surely not see his like again. And coach Mike Shanahan? How can anybody not like him? He’s such a fun guy. And if you are not sensing the absolute sarcasm here, know that this paragraph is coated (twice) with sarcasm.
Then there’s the Seahawks. Where to start? Pete Carroll? OK. This is his 3rd time in the NFL, after ‘memorable’ stints as a Jets (6-10) and Patriots coach. Actually, his record as a Patriots coach is pretty good, strictly by the numbers. But he was relieved of duty after an 8-8 season. Considering he was 10-6 and 9-7 in his previous seasons there, it’s more of an indictment of the Patriots and seems to explain why they were such a bad team before they started cheating.
But I digress.
I never thought much of Carroll as a head coach, and figured that he’d be out of Seattle after three seasons. I mean, the guy destroyed a regarded college football program, and has pretty much been followed by the wreckage of his time as a college coach. Now he’s in the pros again, ready to stick it to me again.
After two marvelous 7-9 campaigns (and a playoff run! With a 7-9 record! What an indictment of the NFL!), Team Carroll has the Hawks poised to return to the Super Bowl. And how can I resist? The Seahawks are one of my favorite teams, as they not only lost in the Super Bowl to the Steelers, but whined about it endlessly afterwards. They still whine about the officiating. One must note that the officials did not give up a 75-yard TD run, nor did the officials get burned on a 43-yard flea flicker touchdown pass.
Interestingly, another thing one can’t help but notice is that they didn’t whine too much when the officials GAVE them a win with a horribly bad call when they defeated the Packers earlier this season.
Again, I digress. Wow – I thought I disliked the Ravens a lot. Just wait until I have to talk about the Broncos.
So where does all this rambling, ranting, huffing, puffing and just plain entertaining as hell encapsulation of my feelings about the Seahawks get us?
Score: 31-17, Redskins.
Oh, and Redskin fans – better prepare yourself for endless attempts by ‘Hawks fans to try to downplay your win with complaints about the refs, weather, fiscal cliff, astrology and NCAA violations. Any factor that could have influenced the outcome of the game will likely be brought forth.
Playoffs?? Don’t Talk About — Playoffs?!?! You Kidding Me? Playoffs??!? Saturday Edition.
So, every jerk who’s ever watched a football game is coming forward now to deliver their predictions for this weekend’s NFL playoffs. So, despite Jim Mora’s steadfast belief that we should not talk about playoffs, I am now going to join the chorus of jerks and give you my predictions.
I should point out that since the Steelers are not in the playoffs, it doesn’t really matter much who wins or loses. Without the Steelers, the NFL loses.
Here you will find no home/away records, no mention of playoff inexperience, no mention of rookie quarterbacks, no mention of dome teams, no mention of college performances and no mention of meaningless statistics that are only dragged out into the light during playoff time to make the prognosticators sound like they are better at picking games than the average fan.
These picks are based on gut feelings and quick, off-the-cuff thinking. None of the fluff that is bandied about matters. More often than not, the better team wins. It doesn’t get much more complicated than that. Sometimes a team just has a great game where everything works and they manage to score an upset. This is really all you should need to decide who you think will win.
Bengals / Texans
I have already stated that I don’t think that the Texans are all that, and that they would lose in the first round of the playoffs. I’ll stick to that, but I do wish they had drawn a more formidable foe than the Bengals. The Bengals were something of a surprise, coming out of a division that is usually controlled by the Steelers or the Ravens. They’ve got a smart coach in Marvin Lewis, and have managed to beat Pittsburgh and Baltimore to end the season. They also beat a fellow playoff team, the Redskins, earlier in the season.
What does that mean for their chances today? Not a whole lot, as these games are in the past. It does say that the Bengals are not a team to shrink away from a team that is alleged to be better.
Score: 27-20, Bengals.
Vikings / Packers
Where do I begin here? For having the audacity to beat the Steelers in the Super Bowl, the Packers have forever earned my enmity. Hey – I didn’t promise well-formed logic here. Sports are an emotion-based pastime, and my emotional reaction to the Steelers losing is to root against the Packers. I hope they lose, and lose big. I hope that Adrian Peterson continues to rack up yardage against the Pack’s D, and that the long-haired roid monster at linebacker is left in the dust, gasping for breath.
If the Vikes hope to win, they need to hit Discount Double Check (man, those commercials annoy me to no end) again and again. It’s worth getting a flag or two if you can get Rodgers off his game. He is a very good QB, and letting him have time to throw is never a good thing. Hit him. Flush him out. Defense, let him know you’re there. I’m not saying injure or hurt the guy – football is a tough game that involves people running into one another. All I’m saying is… run into Rodgers a few times. Otherwise, prepare for an exit from the playoffs.
Score: 34-30, Vikings.
I had intended to thrill you to my thoughts on all four games, but I thought a shorter article might be a better option. I’ll be back with my incredible insights on the other two games.
That Buzzing You Hear? Don’t Worry, It’s Just Useless, Annoying NFL Chatter
And here I thought that the endless, mindless drivel dedicated to the speculation about the firing of Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid could not be topped in terms of annoying the crap out of me.
Sadly, local radio stations ESPN and WIP reminded me that I constantly underrate their ability to turn journalism into used toilet paper. And I apologize to the used toilet paper – at least it is supposed to be soiled from time to time, whereas ESPN and WIP rarely do what they are supposed to do.
That is – report on news. Not speculate on it or create it. Clearly, I have some misinformation when it comes to sports radio. Unlike sports radio (and TV – can’t leave out radio’s big and more obnoxious brother) I have converstations with people about sports that include listening to the other person, acknowledging a good point, thoughtful and reasoned insight and a liberal dose of reality.
Now then – the speculation around Reid’s dismissal was about as annoying as sports talk radio could get. Everyone seemed to have a “reliable source” (Miss Cleo, perhaps?) that gave assurances that Reid was as gone as journalistic integrity is. And many were so smug about it, as though they were providing some heretofore unthought perspective to the proceedings. And the sports radio guys got on the bandwagon – and how – actively talking about the new coaching possibilites days before the announcement was made. It was unseemly and unprofessional at best.
I so wanted the Eagles to retain Reid, just to have this smugness shoved back into their faces. Alas, it was not to be as the team cut Reid loose and opened a new gate to sports hell.
Now we are bombarded with a near constant stream of:
- Good riddance, Andy Reid. Usually accompanied by forgetting that the Eagles were very successful during Reid’s tenure and also forgetting that the person bloviating was a huge Reid fan five years earlier. A pity that Reid forgot how to coach. And a good thing that he had a good defensive coordinator, or else he might not have won a game.
- Reluctant reminiscing about Reid: More thoughtful speakers acknowledging that Reid was a pretty good coach who could have run the ball more. Some even go as far as to postulate that perhaps Reid stuck around too long and got stale.
- Endless, brain numbing speculation about who will be the next coach!
Yes, that’s right. What is more annoying than listening to speculation regarding Reid’s firing? The unrealistic and completely scattershot speculation swirling around his replacement.
Remember that scene in Dark Knight when the Gotham City police had a cork board with pictures of possible identities for Batman? I believe that Elvis, Abe Lincoln and Bigfoot were among the suspects. These four (don’t forget Batman, now) seem to be the only names that haven’t been offered as names for a replacement coach.
Here’s a look at some of the names being bandied about, and my thoughts on each:
- Jon Gruden: Hahahaha. Sure – he beat his former team in the Super Bowl. That’s nice. Remember how his tenure in Tampa Bay ended? Let me help refresh that memory: 7-9, 5-11, 11-5, 4-12, 9-7, 9-7 and no playoff wins. Seems that he didn’t do as well against teams that were not the team he used to coach. I think he’s quite comfortable offering nothing resembling actual insight during football broadcasts.
- Bill Cowher: Hahahahahaha. Because it took him 14 years to win a Super Bowl? You just ran a guy with 14 years out of town. Do Eagles fans really have that much patience? I think Cowher might entertain Jacksonville or Carolina. I can’t see him leaving the coziness of the TV studio to coach in a win-starved, overexpecting town like Philly. It’s great that Philly fans want to win. But Cowher is not a guy who would put up with constant armchair quarterbacking easily.
- Chip Kelly: Not sure who he is (Oregon? Yes, this lack of knowledge is a pretty lame oversight on my part, but I don’t watch college football – and I don’t get paid for this, so Suck It, Trebek!). I keep hearing about ‘number of plays’ and ‘option’ when his name is invoked. I just need to hear ‘option’ and I’m ready for the next name.
- Bill O’Brien: Because Bill Belichick assistant coaches have done SO WELL as head coaches in their own right. I know you’ve all pretty much forgotten the Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Josh McDaniels and Nick Saban pro coaching tenures. Eagles fans: Do you REALLY want to try your luck with another Belichick disciple?
- Knute Rockne: As so many brilliant speculators have said about Chucky and Steely McBeam: A guy like Rockne would be perfect for the Eagles. Too bad he’s dead (I think).
- Al Pacino or Gene Hackman: Hey – they’d be great, wouldn’t they? They played very driven, successful football coaches. And the prospects of them coaching the Eagles are about as realistic as Gruden or Cowher doing so.
Look – I hate to mock all of this speculation (well, I don’t hate it entirely, I must admit), but Eagles fans: You need to chill out and let this thing run its course. You may think you know better than the owner and GM… but you don’t. Please stop calling the sports shows and pontificating about who would be the ideal coach. It’s embarrasing.
It’s these sorts of callers that fuel the loutish, ignorant reputation that Philly sports fans have. And the freaking Wing Bowl debacle doesn’t help either. Whenever the morning guys descend into Wing Bowl talk, hoo boy! Talk about your can’t-change-the-channel-fast-enough moments.
What you could do instead is look back at the past 14 years and savor that time. It’s unlikely you will ever see one coach at the helm for that length of time. And it’s also unlikely you will see a coach rack up that many wins for the Silver and Green.
So it didn’t turn out the way you’d hoped. Would you rather have been a Seahawks, Bengals, Browns or Bills fan these past 14 years? How many coaches have these four teams had combined? 85? 90? And what do they have to show for it? One supremely underwhelming Super Bowl appearance that was won by a clearly superior team. And that team that won had the same coach for 15 seasons.
The consistency Reid brought to the Eagles should be celebrated. Because you’ll probably have four coaches in the next 14 years – and, more than likely, the same number of Super Bowl wins as were collected in the previous 14 years.
I’d love to be proven wrong. Even though I am a Steelers fan, I’d love to see the Eagles hoist that trophy. I just don’t think that changing the coach will bring this about. And even if it does, you’ll need to be patient. Try to cut the new guy some slack. He’s got big shoes to fill, whether you give Reid credit or not.
Another Blog’s 2012 Year in Review
Well, it was a crazy year, wasn’t it? At this time of reflection, we here at ‘Another Blog’ thought it would be great fun to look back at 2012 and revisit the blog’s favorite articles that 2 or 3 people (other than us) had read!
Without further ado, let’s take a time machine carpet ride back to 2012! Damn! That flux capacitor is on the fritz again…
Our thought provoking (and quick) take on The Hobbit:
“Unfortunately, we’ve been conditioned over the years to associate the video tape look with cheapness and I don’t think that’s going to change, at least not for our generation.”
https://anotherblogonthefire.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/quick-thoughts-on-the-hobbit-in-48-fps-3d/
Accurate thoughts on the NFL playoffs:
“you’ve got a recipe for Playoff Stew, hold the playoffs.”
Inaccurate thoughts about the Eagles coaching situation:
“With no financial incentive to do so, why would Lurie make a change? From a business perspective, I think it would be foolish.”
A jealousy-inducing series chronicling “Eurotrip 2012”:
“I didn’t go, so I will keep my comments brief.”
https://anotherblogonthefire.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/eurotrip-2011/
How much the All-Star game stinks (not as much as the Pro Bowl):
“While it’s probably true that the baseball All-Crap game is more worthy of attention than the NFL’s Pro Bowl or the NBA’s All-Crap game, it is still, at heart, a lame-o game-o.”
https://anotherblogonthefire.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/the-all-star-game-and-carlos-ruiz/
One of baseball’s greats and why he isn’t (and should be) in the Hall of Fame:
“Murderers and other hardcore criminals have served less of a sentence than Rose has served.”
https://anotherblogonthefire.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/forgive-or-forget-about-him/
So there you have it – highlights from some great unread writing and an unknown amount of unreposted articles. And now, because we care about you, the folks who will quickly move on to other online content, we’re offering you another chance here to not take a look at the great content within. All you have to do is not click through any of the links!
From our families to yours, we wish you a happy, safe and prosperous 2013!
Andy Blank
Mike Frangione
Depends on What the Meaning of the Word 'Blog' is 
So … This is Superior? Spider Senses Are Whinging…
OK, kids – Spider-Man’s been around for a long time, and after the cartoons and four blockbuster movies, everyone knows the story pretty well, right? Just for fun, how about a little true/false quiz?
1) Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben was killed during a carjacking
2) Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben was killed outside a convenience store
3) Mary Jane was Spider-Man’s first girlfriend
4) Spider-Man is really Peter Parker
Pencils down! If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you have failed the test. Or – have you? It depends on which version of Spider-Man we’re talking about.
It’s yes if you’re talking about the Sam Raimi Spider-Man (questions 1 and 3).
It’s yes if you’re talking about the Andrew Garfield Spider-Man (question 2).
It’s yes if you’re talking about the 1960’s cartoons, the Electric Company Spider-Man, the 1970’s TV show, the 1980’s cartoons, the Hostess Twinkies ads found in 1970’s comic books, Woodstock Spider-Man, Spectacular Spider-Man, Ulitmate Spider-Man, Sea of Tranquility Spider-Man, Greedo shot first Spider-Man, Tickle Me Spider-Man, I Shot J.R. Spider-Man, Turn off the Dark Spider-Man, Super Bowl MVP Spider-Man, any Spider-Man appearance in any Marvel comic book from 1963 to 2012, the Andrew Garfield Spider-Man, the Sam Raimi Spider-Man….. but no if you’re talking about the Marvel Comics flagship comic book The Amazing Spider-Man.
Please, don’t roll your eyes like that. Like anyone who’s reading this hasn’t quibbled about some detail in plot or character or character relationship that was changed when their favorite book was made into a movie. Or when some detail or details was/were changed in later releases of a creative work. Or when some hackneyed plot device was used to resolve a tricky plot point.
With that many different versions of Spider-Man in play, it’s understandable if you might feel a little confused about the character details. And it doesn’t really matter anyway, because Marvel (By Popular Demand!!) has pulled out all the stops in taking a 50-year-old franchise character and removing all of the elements that made him a franchise character. Because You Demanded It!!
Spider-Man fans have had to endure a lot of dopey plot devices and ill conceived story lines over the years, and I thought that they had pretty much exhausted the concepts I’d dislike immensely. I was wrong.
Out comes Amazing Spider-Man 700, the final issue in the original series (the one started in 1963), and the one that changes everything. Gone is the “great power, great responsibility” Peter Parker, and in his place is one of his mortal enemies, Alfred Molina – I mean, Doctor Octopus – now occupying the body and persona of Spider-Man.
That’s right – in a nutshell, Doctor Octopus now occupies Spider-Man’s body – in essence, he is the new and improved Spider-Man. The Superior Spider-Man. The debut issue of the comic book of the same name, chronicling the continuing adventures of the Electric Company’s favorite son, came out in January.
It’s not like they went from Nicholas Hammond to Tobey Maguire, or from Maguire to Andrew Garfield. Or from Kirsten Dunst to Emma Stone. Or from Dick York to Dick Sargent. One could actually argue that each of these changes was an upgrade for the character (well, not the York to Sargent change…). A move toward Superior.
No, instead the premise is that Doctor Octopus as Spider-Man will be a new and better Spider-Man (a Superior one). That’s right. I’d understand if you’re confused by this logic – I don’t get it either. Seriously, if the Peter Parker Spider-Man defeated Doc Ock every time they fought, what makes Doc Ock superior? Even the Molina Doc Ock realized that, in the end, he wasn’t a better person than Peter Parker.
I’ve liked previous Dan Slott (writer/conceptualizer of Superior Spider-Man) works. He is a very detailed, clever and funny writer who understands comic books and what makes them tick. And I’m sure that the decision to do a Buffy/Faith switcheroo was not his alone (darn those meddlesome EICs!). But…. WTF, dude?!?!
And why Doc Ock? There are a multitude of villains that could have been inserted into this role. Over the years, Ock has been about 50 percent troublesome villain and 50 percent comic relief. He gathered together six of Spider-Man’s enemies and still lost, boarded at Aunt May’s house after Peter moved out, almost married Aunt May, lost his mind and had a phobia about Spider-Man and LOST EVERY BATTLE HE EVER HAD AGAINST THE PETER PARKER SPIDER-MAN.
How exactly does this make him superior?
It’s pretty much a concensus that the Green Goblin was Spider-Man’s greatest enemy. He was the big bad in the first movie, wasn’t he? He was the first to discover Spider-Man’s identity. The first to truly defeat Spider-Man. He cheated death, didn’t he? Died and returned to plague Spider-Man! Surely, this makes him the most likely guy to succeed in the old body switcheroo thingy, right?
Apparently not. And now we’re left with this. I can’t see this being a good thing for the character, but I guess the Marvel folks know what they’re doing. After all, they’ve never made dramatic changes to a character or comic title only to see that it wasn’t working or that the fans didn’t respond, and then just pressed the reset button and put things back the way they were.
Nah. I’m sure that this will be the crowning achievement in Spider-Man history. And – 50 years from now – when Ms. Lion is transferred into Spider-Man’s body and takes over for Doc Ock, I’m sure I’ll be grousing about how Marvel never just leaves well enough alone.