I Blog Dead People

I’ll admit it, there’s going to be a slight dead-people feel to this week’s blog. It’s just how things played out.

· What did you say? Cubs legend Ron Santo finally made the MLB Hall of Fame after a long wait and a career that is paralleled by few at his position during his era? That’s fantastic, I bet he was really happy to hear the news that… wait, what’s that? Ron died a year ago?
Admittedly, Santo was a shameless self-promoter when it came to getting into the Hall, but there wasn’t a question that his numbers were good enough or better than other third-basemen in the history of the game. Every time Ronny was on the main ballot, he’d get shot down. Year after year after year. The tradition continued when he got bumped off the main ballot after exhausting his time on there and going onto the Veterans Committee ballot, which was only voted on once every two years. It got to a point where there were cameras present as he’d sit by the phone waiting for the call that would never come. A friend of mine went so far as to suggest that the statue that was erected of Santo outside of Wrigley should be his sitting and staring at a phone.
So, the last time Ronny was eligible for the Hall of Fame was two years ago. Somehow, when Ronny was alive, he wasn’t a good enough legend to be in the HOF. They couldn’t give him the glorious final year of his life that he deserved. And it’s not like this was a shock. Santo’s presence on this Earth the last 3-5 years was not an easy one, and we all knew that the game could be over at any time. Something tells me that the folks on the VC knew as well as we did that he wasn’t long for this world.
Admittedly, they did change the structure of the VC voting rules, and that in a 16 vote field, one of the votes was a teammate of his, but I still don’t get it. What changed? What changed between 2 years ago and now that Ron Santo is suddenly a Hall of Fame caliber talent. The man last played in the 1970s, it’s not like he had a chance to put up some “late career numbers” or anything. He didn’t even have legs! (too soon?) The stats are and were complete, nothing changed. He was either deserving or he wasn’t, period.
Believe me, I’m thrilled that he’s finally going to be enshrined in Cooperstown, as are Cubs fans all over the country. But like them, I wish he was still around to truly enjoy it. And something tells me he may have seen something like this coming. Maybe he wrote a fabulous speech to be read by one of his kids that says “Really? Really?” before going on to thank everyone he’d want to thank. And I do know one other thing: wherever he is, he’s relieved and truly enjoying this.

· So, I see that a whole bunch of people are taking a huge dump all over the posthumous Amy Winehouse release, Lioness: Hidden Treasures. What’s the deal with that? It’s like they’re treating it as if she went into the studio a few months ago and decided to slap together an album out of nowhere. Just like many artists, especially those who passed on too soon, this is a typical “rarities” album. It’s not to be taken as an attempt at cohesion or continuity. It’s presented as if to say “hey, look at the kind of stuff we might have been exposed to had she lived,” even though these songs and versions of previously released tracks likely would never have seen the light of day. The cut that stands out to me is “Tears Dry (Original Version)” which would later become Back To Black’s “Tears Dry On Their Own.” It’s an extremely haunting version, partially due to the tempo and partially due to the fact that a couple of the lyrics seem to take on a new meaning. But, honestly, why give this one star or no stars and call it a complete debacle. This is a very serviceable record with a few gems on it, and I think that her fans will be happy to have it. I’m not saying I’ll be putting this on the ol’ Victrola time after time for the next ever, but I think it’s enjoyable. And if you haven’t picked up the Tony Bennett Duets album with her on it, that track is represented in Lioness. Just sayin’.

How about someone that’s alive, but whose career is likely dead:

· Herman Cain: we hardly knew ye’. Problem is, there might be a few gals who knew you too well. All too well.

As we enter the heart of the holiday season, I just want you all to remember one thing: I love your pants.

And the Grammy Will Go To...

One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season doesn't have anything to do with sleighbells jingling or pepper spraying someone for an XBox (I already have one). It's taking a look at the newly released Grammy Nomination list. I'd be remiss if I didn't share my opinions with you, my reading public. Prognosticating the Grammys is something that, for me, goes back to the early 1980s when I'd sit and handicap the field with my father, who was in the industry. Obviously, when I was that young, he'd kick my butt in the predictions, 'cause he knew how the Academy worked, and I was just a kid who liked a song. However, as I aged, I got better at the whole process, and now I tend to run at about an 85% clip every year. Sure, there's some surprises each year, but the Grammys can easily be dissected in some years. Adele made that very easy in 2011. Let's get to it...

• I saw a great quote earlier this week that said "Adele is going to win anything that isn't nailed down." Sure seems like it, doesn't it? Let's look at her bigger categories...
  Album of the Year: This is almost an absolute mortal lock. You look at the audiences of Bruno Mars, Rhianna, and Lady Gaga, and there's a lot of crossover there, meaning that they're likely to cancel each other out. This leaves only one possible contender to upset Adele, which is the Foo Fighters. I will go on record as saying that this is a puzzling nomination to me, as I wasn't the biggest fan of the album. But, suddenly, they're the "venerable older band" who's never gotten "the big award" in this category, and for that reason, they should be shown some respect when it comes to predicting this category. However, I'm not giving it to them, Adele wins this in a walk. Oh, did I mention I happen to think that "21" is the best album that was released this year, and possibly the last two or three?
  Song of the Year: Signed, sealed, delivered, this is Adele's to lose, once again. It's possible that the only song that didn't get nominated for this category that could beat "Rolling In The Deep" would be her own "Someone Like You." As this is a songwriter's award, and nobody disagrees that Adele can write the living snot out of a song, I can't see her losing this. My personal "other favorite" here is Bon Iver's "Holocene," but I think the nomination is really the win for Bon Iver, here, who is a strong contender for Best New Artist.
  Record of the Year: I'm happy to see the aforementioned "Holocene" here. I'm also happy to see Mumford & Sons' "The Cave" in this category. "Grenade" by Bruno Mars and "Firework" by Katy Perry are also strong nominees. Too bad they're losing to Adele, right? Honestly, I see her sweeping the top 3. Was there, honestly, a bigger hit this year than "Rolling In The Deep?" No, I didn't think so. Maybe a song or two sold more single copies, but they didn't capture the landscape like "RITD" did.
  As for her other categories (Pop Vocal Album, Pop Solo Vocal Performance, Short-Form Video) as places she could be upset by others who the voters want to give a win, but she very well could be a train that just can't be stopped.
  And let's remember one thing... I've been saying this would happen for months. Months, people. If you don't like Adele, make other plans on February 12th.
  
  
• Best New Artist: Likely, Nicki Minaj will win here, but I wouldn't be surprised if Bon Iver won. A LOT of critical acclaim for that album, and since there's nominations in Record/Song that have no shot in hell of winning, this is the possible winning category. More likely for Bon Iver, though, is a win over my personal favorite "The King Of Limbs" by Radiohead.
  
  
• So, Adele gets 6 nominations and the bulk of the buzz, and yet Kanye West has the most nominations. So, why isn't HE getting all the buzz? Well, a couple of reasons:
  1. People are just sick of his shit, to an extent.
  2. His solo album came out a year ago, so the buzz is gone.
  3. He also had an album with Jay-Z.
  So, when you think about it, you average him out at 3.5 nominations per album, and then it just makes Adele look better when she has 6 for 1 album.
  
  
• I'm intrigued by how the Academy has cut down the number of awards. The idea of combining the male and female vocal performances in each genre is a good one. Look, there were 152 awards, it was getting out of control. Even at a healthy 78, you won't get every award televised (especially when we get our 15-minute tribute to Salsa music about 2 hours in). I'm not sure who this helps or hurts, but it will be very interesting to see how all of it plays out this year... unless it's a category in which Adele has set up shop, then it's likely to be less interesting and more "what's she gonna say?"
  
  
• Another lock: in Best Pop Performance by a Duo/Group, Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse are winning for "Body and Soul." The Academy loves, and I mean LOVES Tony Bennett, and they'll look to be reverential to Amy Winehouse in the year of her passing. If you can put money on some categories, go with this one.
  
  
• You know, I'm sort of surprised we don't see Cee-Lo Green's "The Lady Killer" in more categories, but I think it's another example of the album being released too early in the nomination process. And "F*** You" was really the only hit single off of there, and it was almost 18 months ago.
  

I'd love to hear some of your commentary below. What do you think of this year's nominees? Who do you think got screwed? Lemme know. I know I didn't cover everything, but we've got a couple of months before the show, so I'm likely to throw some thoughts into the blog here and there until that time. Thanks for checking in, y'all have a great week.

Gobble Gobble...

Howdy folks. I hope your Thanksgiving was a great one. I know I had fun and ate like a king. Let's do this.

• How many Bears fans felt really good after last Sunday's win over the Chargers. 7-3, on a definite momentum train, finally figuring out how to make the offense work for us and not against us? Now, same people who raised their hands, how many of you went to bed that night sick to your stomach knowing that a real run was probably over. Well, thanks to Jay Cutler's thumb, it is. Then we even had a chance to get Kyle Orton back to help backup Caleb Haine, who has as many NFL starts as I do, but that went to hell when the KC Chiefs claimed him off of waivers. Now we get Josh McCown, who might as well be Josh McCouch, 'cause that's where he's been the last couple of years. Bears fans, just remember this: it started questionable, and then got really good there for a bit. If Cutler can stay healthy all year next season and we pay Matt Forte, this is going to be a pretty special team.
  
  
• By the time I blog next, Adele is likely to be up for about 100 Grammy awards. It begins.
  
  
• I, for one, love this nice weather over the holiday weekend. However, there's a part of me that has the "let's get it over with" mentality about winter. Thing is, I'm smart enough to know whether the throes of winter start today or next week, it won't be nice out again until May, so I guess we might as well just stave this off. And yes, I did just bring up the weather. Wow.
  
  
• As we enter this holiday shopping season, let's not forget one thing. There are people all over the Middle-East who are risking their own lives in battle to save themselves and their family/friends from a life of persecution, and trying to achieve the one precious thing that we still hold true: freedom. What are WE doing with said freedom? We're committing the same kind of violent acts in Walmart because we so very much value a $200.00 LCD HDTV. You stay classy, America!!! But, seriously, can we tone it down a bit? I remember when Black Friday would mean stores would open at 7:00 AM, and that was a huge deal. Now we've got midnight opening times at stores, and some stores actually being open on Thanksgiving Day. Here's my question to the midnight shoppers: really? That meal didn't make you want to collapse on your couch for about a month? Are you kidding me? I guess it's a concept I've never understood. Yes, a good deal is a good deal, but so is a sense of sanity and dignity. Just sayin'.
  
  

Just like the work-week many of us had, this will end early. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and please be careful out there if you're shopping. Seriously, you are far more important than bedding or a new sweater for your uncle.

Quick Hits...

I know, I know... two blogs in one weekend. You know, we might start seeing more of this, especially since I was so rude and didn't post a lot in September and October. Here we go with a some quick hits...

• No, I don't want an LSU/Alabama rematch for the NCAA Football national championship. I know at least one of my readers probably agrees.
  
  
• What happened? When did the Bears become a team I should really be writing more about?
  
  
• Tiger Woods helps the US win The President's Cup, and America reaches over and presses the snooze button. And since it was in Australia, literally and figuratively.
  
  
• Is this whole Penn State mess still going on? I haven't seen anything in the news about it. Not at all (sarcasm alert).
  
  
• Why is it every year there's at least 1,000 yahoos out on the Chicago streets still hanging onto wearing shorts even though it's in the 30s. You didn't just run, and you're wearing a winter jacket? What's up, doofus?
  
  
• Thanksgiving week only means one thing: the countdown begins to the holidays... Oh, I'm sorry, that's Columbus Day now.
  
  
• Chicagoans are mad that the City is upping fees and ticket prices. Um, we're in a budget nightmare, what did you think was going to happen, folks?

Okay, that's enough for a second weekend blog. You all stay pretty, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! I'm sure I'll be back then, if not before.

Part Happy, Part Sad, Part Tardy, Part Timely

Last week, I gave a little blurb about R.E.M. It got me to thinking, and writing, so I thought I'd share it here...

Much like this blog comes months after they announced their breakup, and a week after their latest hits collection was released, I was just a touch late to REM; but not horribly so, I was still earlier than some folks. As much of their early material came out while I was in jr. high and high school, I didn’t get to hear much of it mostly because what I was listening to at the time was what any blue-blooded American teen was listening to: Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson, etc. But during the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, I heard “Superman” on the radio for the first time. Honestly, at first, I thought it was a song for kids. “I am, I am, I am Superman, and I know what’s happening.” They intrigued me, I thought they were “cute.” Okay, so nobody in the band “floats my boat,” but you know what I mean.

I was able to go back and listen to their earlier work –not a kids’s song in the bunch, of course- and sort of “catch up” with them just before they broke out into the mainstream with the albums Document and Green, then hitting the proverbial pot of Gold with Out Of Time. If I’m asked to name one song that defined my college years, it’s “Losing My Religion” on so many levels. One, it was a huge hit and made them award nominees at pretty much everything but the Oscars and the CMA’s. Two, it came out just towards the end of my freshman year of college, so it had time to ferment in the later years. Three, it’s either “Losing My Religion,” or “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, and the latter is a slightly depressing song which I’m still not sure what it’s about, and at least I know that “losing my religion” is some sort of phrase down south for being at the end of one’s rope. Sue, still depressing, but a happier sounding song nonetheless.

But during that time, it wasn’t just cool to like R.E.M., they became mandatory listening. After years of toiling around the college-rock scene of the southeast paying their dues with albums like Murmur, Reckoning and Fables of the Reconstruction, and finally getting their foot in the mainstream door with Life’s Rich Pageant, Document and Green, they had now been blown out of the stratosphere. And when they could’ve rested on their laurels and just began to coast with their success, Automatic For The People was released and solidified their place near the top of the rock and roll

Honestly, over the course of the last 15 years, my interest in the group had waned. They signed a mega-deal contract, and then it seemed like they began to rest on those laurels. Each record would bring maybe one or two vintage R.E.M. tracks, and a lot of songs that made you wonder if the best years were in the mirror telling you how objects may appear closer than they really are. Even with that said, it did make me sad a couple of months ago to hear they had decided to call it quits only months after releasing their latest album, Collapse Into Now, which was honestly better than many of theirs in the last decade. Maybe I wasn’t hoping for a bright future with R.E.M., but a chance to know that a part of my earlier life wasn’t dead just yet. Not every band can be the Rolling Stones planning a tour that could very well be someone’s last (but not Keith Richards, we all know he’s surviving the apocalypse), but maybe they had that one more great record in them, y’know?

Now we have Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982-2011, the first ever comprehensive R.E.M. best of collection, features tracks from the early years on IRS Records, and then their move over to Warner Brothers in the late 1980s. The tracks seem to be remastered, which isn’t a huge shock as we’ve seen recent remasters of the albums Murmur and Life’s Rich Pageant, but the older tracks definitely sound fresh, and pretty much the same material from their later years that would be the “one or two” on the later albums are on disc 2. Perhaps there could be some complaints as to what was left off from the earlier and peak years (such as the previously mentioned “Superman” Out Of Time’s classic “Half A World Away,” and Automatic For The People’s “Drive”), but it’s two and a half hours of some of the best they had to offer, and every “best of” compilation always has the headscratching missing track or tracks, so they’re just following the formula, if you think about it. In addition to 37 catalog tracks, there’s three new tracks that were done after the release of Collapse Into Now, “A Month of Saturdays,” “We All Go Back To Where We Belong,” and “Hallelujah,” the third possibly being a band exhaling knowing they’re done towing the line. They’re serviceable R.E.M. tracks to be sure. But that’s not why you’d be picking up this album.

This a must have if you, like I was, are late to the R.E.M. party. Albeit your being quite late, but it’s always good to have you if you are. By the way, thanks to a vending machine in my building’s laundry room, I’ve been drinking an Orange Crush during the composition of this blog. No kidding.

Sunday Morning Blogging

Well, I'm up. Most of my friends are very much still sleeping on a Sunday morning, so I might as well be productive and get something ready for y'all to read when you finally wake. Without further ado, let's go all over the place.

• Did something happen at Penn State University this week? Okay, all kidding aside, it's a horrible situation with no winners whatsoever. It's pretty obvious that -thankfully- child molestation still remains the biggest taboo in our society for something that happened a decade ago to reverberate the way it has in the last 8 days since the first release of information on Jerry Sandusky. And let's be clear, it should. It's a damn shame that a guy like Joe Paterno, who spent half a century building a program of integrity and honor would have a transgression like this bring him down. But if there's one thing that qualifies under "yeah, that one thing is gonna tear your career apart," it's not reporting something like someone raping children. And let's not forget all those young men whose lives are inexorably changed for the worse because of a foul individual who should've probably just turned a gun on his own head before he ever considered harming an innocent child.
  
  Editor's note... I'm now dumping the blog for a little while to go have breakfast with a friend who's actually AWAKE at this hour on a Sunday. Turns out, he never went to bed last night. This should be interesting, to say the least... and fun.
  Okay, and we're back...
  
  
• If you're an R.E.M. fan, you may want to pick up Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982-2011. It's their post-break up remastered greatest hits, and the first hits package from R.E.M. to feature material from both their IRS Records and Warner Brothers days. While there's a few omissions ("Superman," and "Half A World Away" to name a couple), there's still well enough material on here to keep any true R.E.M. fan happy, as well as three songs recorded after their final album, Collapse Into Now, which aren't the greatest of their career, but still very serviceable R.E.M. tracks.
  
  
• Also in the "good new music" category is the self-titled Jim Hall & Pat Metheny. I think it's great music for a Sunday morning (on as I write the blog). Both Hall and Metheny are legendary jazz guitarists, and bring their expertise together for an album that is part live, part studio, part improvisation, part pre-written, but all very enjoyable and relaxing.
  
  
• Hey, Cubs... aren't you done finding a manager yet? No? Okay... just let me know when you're ready to name Mike Maddux as the manager. It seems that's where we're going anyways.
  
  
• How's that Republican Presidential Race going this week... honestly, how's it going, I haven't paid much attention. Between an inability to count to 3m and all the sexual harassment allegations, it's tough to keep track of the situation. Wake me up when Mitt Romney's the nominee.

Alright kiddies, that's enough on a Sunday morning from me... I'm going to go relax. You have a lovely day.

Back in the Groove

Hey, look, it's only been a week since my last entry. See, I still love you, my faithful readers. And as it turns out, my little joke about there being only four of you didn't hold water. I got a lot of folks telling me they were reader #5, so that was nice to hear.

Let's go back to randomness, shall we?

• It was a real shame that Adele -in the 30 Rock vernacular- had to shut it down for the remainder of the year. She's been having the year of her life (even bigger than when she burst onto the scene a few years ago), and then it takes her toll and her throat gets all messed up. I'll tell you what the positive of all of this is... That awards season we all thought she'd sweep coming up (American Music Awards/Grammys)? Well, that's an absolute lock, now. First of all, the Grammy nomination process for the year ended a month ago, so nothing new can be put into any of the categories (I'm looking at you, Coldplay). Now, add on the definite sympathy bump she'll get from voters. I'm not saying she'll win every category in which she's nominated with 100% of the vote, but I'm saying she'll be tough to beat. Great album, great P.R. year, reason for sympathy? The engraver is already at work.
  
  
• Let's just ask ourselves this question: is anyone truly surprised as to what is happening to Herman Cain? A month ago, this guy was the "fresh face," he was the one who could possibly come out of nowhere to capture the nomination, he was "not your typical Republican." Well, let's see... he's got a tax plan that most economists say can't work, he gets fiesty with the press when they dare to ask him questions about anything relevant or otherwise, and he apparently likes the ladies a little too much. Nope, that sounds like a typical Republican to me. I'm just waiting for the inevitable implosion. He doesn't have the right team in place to help him deal with scandal, and his head is more than likely going to explode very soon. I'm just hoping it's during one of the 10,000 debates between now and January. It'll finally be the one thing that makes it worth watching.
  
  
• So, as I sit here and type, the World Series of Poker's Main Event Final Table is being played live on ESPN. This just goes back to my statements back in the summer about how live poker just isn't exciting. It's exciting when it's edited, the commentators can crack wise, and I can watch no more than two hours worth of coverage at any given time. Today's coverage is set to last 6 and a half hours... AND THEN THERE'S MORE ON TUESDAY NIGHT. I mean, c'mon. I have to admit, after seeing some of the live poker earlier this summer, I didn't watch any of the recorded coverage that I have watched on an annual basis since 2003. I knew who the final nine were. I just no longer cared. And now, in trying to make it a more climactic event, they're making it less climactic by breaking up the final table over 2 nights. They'll start live with 3 people on Tuesday. Live poker versus The Biggest Loser. People losing weight wins.
  
  
• It's not enough that the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series. Now Ryne Sandberg is an official candidate to replace Tony LaRussa as their manager. Now, I honestly don't think he's going to get the gig -Pujols wouldn't play for someone new to the MLB ranks like that, and they want to keep Pujols- and I couldn't begrudge Ryno for taking the gig if it were offered, but the thought of his wearing a Cardinals uniform makes my shirts cry. I understand that Theo Epstein wants to get someone in the Cubs' dugout that already has MLB experience, but here's the thing... YOU almost hired him for your AAA club, and the Cubs not going for him last year was no fault of his own. He's put in his dues, and given clubs for 2 different organizations winners. Oh, and did I mention he's a Cub legend? Give him an interview. Even if you're not going to give him the job, give him an interview. He might just blow your socks off.
  
  
• No matter who Epstein hires, I just hope it's someone competent. We're still going to be saddled with the Soriano and Zambrano contracts, so any manager we have is going to need to be creative with the other players he gets next year, including a new third baseman... something I was so happy not to have to say season after season for the last 8 years.
  
  
• That was a nice Bears' win in London a couple of weeks ago. Now, unfortunately, they have to head to Philadelphia for a suddenly surging Eagles' squad. I make no predictions about that game tomorrow night, as while Philly's been on the rise, so have the Bears. It'll be interesting to see who can keep that momentum up... and if I can still be awake by the time the game ends. THAT might be the bet to make in Vegas... I'm looking at you, Andy.

That's all. Happy November, everyone.

Missing In Action

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat... I still love you. I have been remiss as remiss can be regarding posting an entry here, and I apologize to all, well, 4 of you that actually seem to read this. As you know -or don't- there's been some change in my life the last few weeks, and my mother was in town for 3 consecutive weekends as well. Free time has been at a premium. I've thought about popping in and saying hello to you, and then I get distracted, and... well, you get it.

I've come into the possession of a few new albums recently, so I thought I'd do some quick takes n said albums for your reading pleasure.

• Coldplay - "Mylo Xyloto" I kept hearing things being said that this album was a departure of sorts. Once I finally took my first listen, I thought the same thing. After a few more listens, this isn't so much a departure as it is just a "peppier" album at times, with a few really dance-y tracks. Are you a fan of the typical Coldplay sound structure? Are you a fan of how Chris Martin seems to have a thing for in-verse-repetition? Well, this album certainly won't disappoint you at all. I thought they'd have a tough time following up "Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends," which was possibly their best album to date. MX isn't as good as Viva, but I think it's a lot better than I expected it to be... new-ish sound or not. Stronger tracks include "Hurts Like Heaven," "Charlie Brown," "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall," and "Princess of China (feat. Rhianna)."
  
  
• Bjork - "Biophilia" I want to like this album more than I do. One of the things I've always loved about Ms. Guðmundsdóttir is her seeming inability to stand still and not grow musically. You could wait for a new Bjork record and know you'd hear something new. I just don't hear that this time around. Now, it's fair to say that Bjork has been in the business for over 20 years between her solo career and her time in the Sugarcubes (not to mention bootleg recordings in Icelandic from when she was a child), so maybe her time to be completely "out there" and "new" is done. That said, this isn't a terrible album, I just expected it to grab me more. Stronger tracks include ""Crystalline," "Virus," and "Mutual Core."
  
  
• Radiohead - "TKOL RMX 1234567" Sure, I loves me some Radiohead, but one thing I'm not always a fan of remix albums. These tracks (save for one) are remixes from the album "The King Of Limbs," released earlier this year. The original album is 38 minutes, so I was a touch surprised to see a remix album at 1:45. 2 discs worth of material with several of the tracks having numerous remixes. It's about what one would expect. Some of the mixes are very fresh, very innovative, very what I wanted to hear on the Bjork album. Some of the tracks are just... just... well, they're on the album, we'll leave it there. I'd suggest certain tracks, but mixes seem to be a very personal thing, so I'd just check out what you can. Overall, a positive review, but I think one disc's worth would've been fine.
  
  
• Tom Waits - "Bad As Me" Look, it's tough for me to "recommend" any Tom Waits album, as he's just so out there, and his voice makes Bob Dylan's sound like he's a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. But musically and lyrically, Waits is still at the top of his game. If you're into crazy symbolism and a guy who sounds like he just got done making love to a carton of Parliament Lights, Tom Waits is the guy for you. "Bad As Me" has many of the sounds we've heard in later Waits releases such as "Real Gone," and "Mule Variations." If you can only hear a couple of tracks, try "Chicago," "Get Lost," "Bad As Me," and "Satisfied."
  
  
• Erasure - "Tomorrow's World" I suppose there's a bit of a bias towards a band whose lead singer once hit on me when I was a wee lad (well, not "To Catch A Predator wee," but you know), so take all of this with a grain of salt. They're still making fun albums after all these years. There's sometimes when I want to listen to some deep stuff that makes me think, and sometimes I just want to bop my head. "Tomorrow's World" fits that bill beautifully. Enough of the Erasure sound that we've come to know and love to keep us interested, and some fun extras on the deluxe edition. Tracks of note: "When I Start To (Break It All Down)," "Be With You," "What Will I Say When You're Gone," "Just When I Thought It Was Ending."
  
  
• Haberdashery - "Tonight The Angels" Last entry had a little bias, this one has a ton of it. Local Chicago artist, and personal friend Stephen Pearlman is at it again with his 5th long-form release. Bias time: it's his best yet. He envokes so much of the artist we covered in the previous paragraph, but his lyricism is all his own. In this release, he's got messages to his daughter, songs about love, all sorts of things. Again, I'm totally biased, so all I can say is that you need to go to his site, www.haberdasheryinfo.com, and check out the new record. It's also available at CD Baby and iTunes. It's a great album, trust me, you'll love it. Best tracks include "Tonight The Angels," "Tonight Is Forever," "The Answer," and "You Save My Life." (Seriously, check it out).

Okay, I've given you enough to read and listen to in the next few days/weeks... you've got a lot of work to do. I'll hit you all again, soon.

Where Have I BEEN?!?!

Where Have I BEEN?!?!
Oh my, it's been 3-weeks since I've seen you, my internet darlings. No, no, no, I still love you. Internet issues and a busy schedule conspired to an inability for me to sit down and do this the last couple of weeks. Since there's a lot to get to, let's not waste anymore of your valuable and pretty time...

• Hey, look, the Bears are .500. The loss against the Saints was absolutely predictable. The loss against the Packers was also predictable, but I sort of figured they'd play a tighter game since that's how Bears-Packers tends to roll. I expected the offense to do better against the Panthers today, and they did to an extent. I adore the idea of Cutler handing off the ball to Matt Forte a lot more than I like watching him get slammed on his back by opposing linebackers. And it was nice to see Devin Hester look at himself in the mirror and remind himself "Hey, I'm Devin Hester," and have one of his patented "go-off" games. The problem is, you can't always rely on Special Teams to bail you out of sticky situations. The defense didn't really stop Cam Newton all that well, and if you take away Special Teams points, the Bears lose this game. I know certain teams have a specialty, they're known for offense, defense, a running game, whatever. If your #1 attribute is Special Teams, a facet of the game that might be on the field for 90 total game-seconds of an entire game, you're not going to win a ton of games. Of course, it's always nice to see a victory, so I can't complain too much.
• You know what I love more than the MLB Playoffs? MLB late-season collapses! Yes, I know, I'm a Cubs fan, and the 1969 Cubs had a September-swoon for the ages. That's the point, misery loves company. At least I know it's not always just bad for the Cubs when this happens. My own personal schadenfreude, if you will. Now, you know what's better than a MLB late-season collapse? 2 of them at the very same time! Both teams even had Boston connections. The Boston Red Sox blew something like a 9 game lead for the AL Wild Card going into September, and the Atlanta (formerly Boston and Milwaukee Braves) surrendered a similar lead in the NL Wild Card (Hey, Braves, thanks for surrendering that lead to the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing them into the postseason... jerks). The thing about the Red Sox is both a mystery and easily explained. Injuries had taken their toll, but they also just inexplicably had a bad beginning and end to the season. And that's what folks forget, here. If the Red Sox don't have a miserable April, they're in the playoffs. It's a reminder that it's a 162 game season, and even games early on count in the standings, and could help or hurt you in September. It's just amusing because they were preseason picks to represent the AL in the World Series, and now I've got more to do with my week coming up than they do. The Braves' situation is more of a mystery. They've been a ballclub on the rise for a couple of years, and looked so strong all season. Then, the wheels just absolutely came off. I will say this about the collapses, it made the end of the season -with divisions that weren't in doubt by week one of the month- ultimately exciting. It made the final day of the season unbelievably exciting. No playoff match had been decided, in either league, until the end of the 162nd game for each squad. That was unprecedented in the Wild Card era.
• Speaking of the Cubs and collapses (this one being IN the playoffs), I'd like to recommend the ESPN Films documentary "Catching Hell." It's a very in-depth account of the infamous Steve Bartman play in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS. I have to say, it was slightly hurtful to see that play again and again and again during the documentary, but it was more hurtful to get actual accounts as to what was going on in the ballpark around that poor guy that night. I'd like to add my own story:
  I remember hosting 10 people at my apartment the night of that game. We were only a few blocks from Wrigley Field, and were ready to head to Clark Street if the Cubs won the game, punching their first ticket to the World Series since 1945. Folks started showing up at my place around 90 minutes before game-time, and the "imbibing" began around that point. It was a lovely, brisk October evening, and we were all ready for a fun night. I had AIM going with some folks who couldn't make the party, making it one of my first ever multi-media events. ;) Anyways, I'd say of the 10 people over, 5 were devout Cubs fans, 3 were "newbies," and 2 were guests of other folks who didn't give a shit.
  Cut to the 8th inning when it all goes down. The play happens, and everyone in my apartment went apeshit with anger, even the 2 people who didn't really care (they were just into the moment/drunk). Even in my slightly intoxicated state, all I could think was "that poor son-of-a-bitch." My friend Adam, the biggest baseball fan I know, sends a message on AIM that said the exact same thing. I spent the next few moments attempting to calm down my guests and tell them "he didn't do anything wrong, he was doing what anyone would do, and what several people around him were doing." Calming down my friends became harder and harder once Gonzo booted the ball at short, and Mark Prior began to shit himself like he was shooting a Pampers commercial. Even using that as my argument didn't work. "Hey, that dude in the stands didn't drop the ball at shortstop or throw the pitches that the Marlins hit into the outfield grass." The damage was done, and at the end of the inning, a 3-0 lead was an 8-3 deficit. On AIM, Adam was writing "this is it, right? This is when it all begins to end, right?" We had no way of officially knowing how the next night would go in Game 7, but we just knew it was over. I think by the time the final pitch was thrown in Game 6, only 2 of the original 10 people remained in my apartment, as folks knew the writing was on the wall and left in the top of the 9th. The 3 of us just sat there. To say a stunned silence permeated the room would be a grave understatement. We turned on the news to see footage of a yet-unnamed Steve Bartman being taken into the offices at Wrigley Field. My two stragglers finally spoke and wished awful things on the guy. I sat there internally hoping he was safe, and knowing his life had been inexorably changed. The Cubs really need to win the World Series in his lifetime to get him off the hook for the incident, and so he can resume a normal life.
• Well, we're finally past the Grammy Nomination period, it having ended on September 30th. Anyone think Adele could not sweep things? I still think she has it locked up, but I will say this... Tony Bennett's "Duets II" scares me a little bit. 85-year old debuts at #1 for the first time in his career, and the album contains the last recording of Amy Winehouse. That's a recipe for Grammy love. Let's just hope that the voters realize how forward Adele's album was in comparison to Bennett's rehashing old jazz songs with newer artists. And don't get me wrong, I loves me some Tony Bennett, and Duets II is nice. Adele is just a juggernaut that shouldn't be stopped this year. Not at all.

I think that's enough for now. If you're all very good and eat your vegetables, I just might put up a second post this week to make up for the lost time. You're all so pretty. So very pretty.

Back to Random

Well, the US Open is just about over, and all my predictions went up in smoke. So, back to some random thoughts... possibly a short entry this week, we'll see.

• I was very surprised to enjoy the latest Lenny Kravitz album, Black and White America. At first, I thought to myself "you know, we've heard this from Lenny before." Then, after a second and third listen (because I'm thorough), I started to realize that I'd heard it before, but not from him. Long story short, Lenny Kravitz released a really nice Jamiroquai record. Sure, some tracks are very "Lenny," but some are very Jamiroquai, too. 3 out of 5 stars. Recommended.
• How 'bout that Republican Presidential Debate last week, huh? ((note, I don't even have to say another word or make a joke. You've already formulated one in your mind. That's good comedy)
• Obama's Jobs speech: a lot of nice rhetoric. Some interesting ideas. I'm still waiting to hear how it will all be funded, but if it's something that works, let's do it. We're well beyond the point of "let's take a few months, form some committees, and see where we end up."
• Wait... did the Bears win yesterday? Really? Wow. This just in: they didn't win as much as Atlanta lost. Towards the end, the defense really took over, but an early lead was built by Atlanta just not doing a great job on both sides of the ball. We'll see how this season continues. A year ago, I thought they had no shot, and they hosted the NFC Championship Game. That said, I still think they have no shot.
• Somebody please let me know when the Cubs are done playing. I wanted to turn on SportsCenter last night, and it was delayed because they were broadcasting a meaningless game between them and the Mets. I wanted a Cubs game to end so I could watch SportsCenter. Sad state of affairs.
• Oh, if you're a Morrissey fan and like/love the album Bona Drag, be sure to get the 20th Anniversary Remastered Edition that was released last year. Didn't know about it until about a week ago, and it's been making me smile ever since. Thanks, Kirk.
• Ah, to be this time of year all year. For the last week, the temperatures have been perfect. Today's a little warm, but given what's coming ahead in a couple of months, I'm okay with it. I wish we could cut/paste this stuff and just have it all year. I do suppose that means Chicago would be far more expensive if that were the case, but that's okay. I'd just be a hooker.

Have a great week, y'all.

US Open Thoughts II: Electric Boogaloo (sorry, I had to)

Alrighty, as Monday is Labor Day, and I'm thinking about these things now, let's get into it...

• Tennis players get approximately 4 weeks of an off-season every year. Some of the lower-tier players might get more like 6-7 weeks, but the top players are always trying to qualify for the year-end championships. There's 4 Grand Slam tournaments to consider, with one being 2 weeks after the new season begins. Masters Series events? Jeez, it feels like there's about a hundred of them. Now, a player can take a tournament off, but if they played that tournament last year, those ranking points disappear completely instead of having a chance to defend them. And these days, too many of the players play far too many tournaments because they want to protect their ranking (think of this: Caroline Wozniacki plays EVERYTHING, and got her ranking to #1 because of it, but when she gets to a Slam event, she wilts. She's still never won one). Then we get to the fact that we're 90-minutes into day 6 of the US Open, and we've already seen 17 retirements or walkovers... and we wonder why this is happening? Top players have been crying for a readjustment of the season for many years, and I think it's finally time to start listening to their pleas...
• Sometimes I'm a Venus Williams fan, sometimes I'm not. When either Williams sister shoots off at the mouth, it puts me off a bit. However, I will say that Venus has usually been the quieter, more humbler member of her family in the last decade. And hey, she designs her own tournament outfits, so you've got to give her points for that. The thing is, you've got to feel pretty badly for her right now. She's had to pull out of a Slam event because of some disease (Sjogren's Syndrome) that sometimes takes 5-6 years to diagnose. This means she's been dealing with discomfort and fatigue for several years on the court, and never even realized why it was happening. It also means that, at 31, we may be seeing the end of Venus Williams. Yes, she says she's going to be back and all that, but if this thing's been keeping her from being at her best since 2008 (her last Slam win), she's not getting any younger. I'd really hate for this to be the way she exits the game, after blazing such trails with her sister. Here's hoping we see more.
• Speaking of her sister, Serena's the 28-seed. She's still the outright favorite to win this tournament (and still my pick). Any questions as to whether the women's field is in turmoil? Didn't think so.
• Novak Djokovic goes up 6-0, 6-0, 2-0 in his second round match against Belocq of Argentina. Belocq breaks to get on the board for the first time. He raises his hands as if he'd just won the match, the crowd gets into it. The best part? The camera cut to Djokovic who's giggling, too. That's why I love tennis. So friendly most of the time. MOST of the time. I'm still aware of the near-riots that have occurred in Australia, but we won't discuss that here.
• James Blake: would you just hang it up, please? Please?
  
• Mardy Fish is doing precisely what I wanted him to do this first week: decimating the competition, playing on the big courts, and enjoying the moment. He's still my darkhorse pick behind Federer.
• Federer: soooooooooooooooooooo quietly moving through the draw. You don't want the likes of him lurking. You just don't. He can beat anyone at anytime, and if the pressure isn't on, it just makes it that much easier. Again, he's got another Slam in him, and this one may just be his best ever shot.
• Wozniacki: I'm sorry, I just don't get it. You're amusing, but you play all too often, spend way too much energy winning the "Greater Shell Oil Open" type tournaments, and then like I mentioned earlier, you fall apart in a 2-week Slam. Sloooooooooooow down, win something big.
• The American surge at this year's Open is quite encouraging, but don't call this the official comeback. We'll need to see how this plays out. Several younger females have had great first weeks at the Open, and we're finally seeing Donald Young show the potential we've been waiting for for about 4 years. HUGE 5-set victory over Warwrinka (14) yesterday. He grew up on the court.
• Speaking of Americans growing up on the court, 18-year old Jack Sock got to play one of his idols last night, Andy Roddick. It was very reminiscent of Roddick playing Pete Sampras back around 2000. Just like that night, the elder whipped the young'n. However, Sock's got a big game, and once he has some more big matches under his belt, he's going to be a force in this game. Or, he's going to end up OD'ing on crystal meth in a Super 8 parking lot, we'll see. I think it's the former, though. Very much so.
  
• PS, Andy Roddick was right the other night. He went off on tennis commentators who say "he's doing everything right" when someone's winning, and say "he's got to change things up" when he's losing. It's so true, at times. I mean, he was a bit pissy about the whole thing, but other than adding a little "might be time to change the pace/might be time to try to slice/he might want to slow down between points" thing, it's usually just follow the score and comment from there kind of stuff. However, I love hearing the McEnroe brothers together, and Cliff Drysdale really knows his stuff. Surprisingly, so does Chris Fowler.
  
• I'm sitting chatting with my friend Justin about the whole retirement/walkover thing, and we came up with a great idea. Right now, you get the money you get for making it to/losing in that round if you retire or pull out before the match (walkover). What if, and this is just a what if, there were a financial penalty for pulling out? Let's say you retire in the first round of the US Open. Just getting to the first round and losing gets you $15,000. What if that were cut by 25-50%? I think some of the folks who merely have a boo-boo and want to go home an incentive to keep playing. Now, mind you, if someone is truly injured or has a legitimate reason to pull out of a tournament (see: Venus), they get unfairly penalized to an extent, but Justin was saying, and I agree, that the game and the paying fans really are the ones who get penalized when a match doesn't get completed or played at all. So, let's recap: shorten the season, penalize retirements/walkovers. Hey, Tennis, I'm available to be your commissioner!
  

US Open Thoughts

Good afternoon, my children. After watching a few matches from the opening day of the 2011 US Open, here's some musings on the tourney...

• Don't be shocked if Mardy Fish makes a deep run, here. He's currently the top ranked American at #8, playing the best tennis of his career at age 29, and is already the winner of the US Open Series (long story short, there's a point system, and he won it. He'll make double his prize money at this tournament for winning that series). Every couple of years, you have a Grand Slam tourney where the top 3-4 seeds fall earlier than the semis, and some journeyman sneaks through to win a one-and-only Slam (see: Thomas Johannson, Australian Open, 2002). It's been a long time since a Nadal or a Federer or a Djokovic or a Murray haven't been in a quarter or a semi at a Grand Slam tournament. Hence, it's been a long time since we've had one of those tournaments. Even if only 2 or 3 of them fall early, you've still got a chance at an outsider claiming a crown over a favored opponent in a semi or final (again, Thomas Johannson, Australian Open, 2002. Marat Safin had NO business losing that match). If these forces come together, and if the US crowd can get behind him, I think Mardy's got this kind of potential this year. I think his weight loss and his improved movement and serve make him a legitimate 2nd-tier threat. I'd also like to think that an American tennis player might actually win this thing ever again, as well. At least before I die.
  
• I watched Sharapova get tested in the first round of a Slam today. This isn't new, but the opponent today is someone to watch: Heather Watson. The 19-year old from Great Britain should give the U.K. some real buzz in the women's field for the first time since the 1970's and Virginia Wade. Much like a fairly decent women's player named Serena Williams, Heather goes for broke on every point. She's going to run down the ball until she just can't get to it anymore. She's smaller than Serena (granted, she might still have a late growth spurt in her future), so that'll dictate her ability to cover the court as her career progresses. All she seems to need is "the weapon," the one part of her game that could be considered deadly. Speed could be it, but with that as your main weapon, you have to be an incredible strategist to beat the likes of the Williams sisters, or any of the top 10 in today's game. Anyways, keep an eye on her, I know I will.
  
• Speaking of the women's game, can anyone tell me who's really number 1 right now? Seriously? Yes, Carolina Wozniacki is the computer #1, but let's face it, without a Slam victory to her credit, it's a hollow ranking at best. She plays almost every week and amasses points. It's no wonder that she's #1 if she's out there all the time. Problem is, by the time she gets to a two-week Slam, she tires out eventually. She needs to learn a bit of time-management. With Clijsters out with injury, and the rest of the top 10 being a who's-who of "who?" in recent years with turmoil preventing any traction for stability, is the 28th seeded 29-year old Serena Williams really the favorite to win this tournament? It would appear she is. She's the betting favorite, at the very least. 29-year old 28-seed is the betting favorite.
  
• That last point is somewhat remarkable if you think about the men's tour as recently as 3-4 years ago, when everyone was crying that there were 2 good players, and everyone else sucked. I was the only person who seemed to see the depth of the field (outside of the learned tournament commentators, of course), while everyone thought the women's field was the top draw. That's, supposedly, where the talent was. Well, Venus got old, Lindsay Davenport retired (again), Justine Henin retired (again), Amelie Mauresmo retired, Elena Dementieva retired, and suddenly we had the Williams sisters, Kim Clijsters, and a new generation of folks who don't want to seem to take the mantle. When Venus/Serena/Kim are gone, I wonder what the game will be like for a few years. Whereas on the men's side, even with Federer coming to the twilight of his years at 30, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray are still going to be around for several years, and the depth in the men's field is as strong, if not stronger than it's ever been.
• Back to the men... Your obvious favorite here is 2-time finalist Djokovic. A 2011 record of 59-2 coming into the tourney, with 5 consecutive wins against Nadal, and an Australian Open and Wimbledon Championship. You'd think I'd pick him. However, his shoulder's been suspect in recent weeks. While he had 8 days of rest, I've had shoulder issues that last up to 2 months. If his serve has less pop, and his forehand has less zip, he's not going to win a match against one of the other big boys. Yes, I said what I did about Fish earlier, and he's definitely a darkhorse pic for me; but like I said, he's got to have a lot go his way. But my real prediction would actually have to be Federer. Here's the deal: you've seen my comment on Djokovic. Nadal's not always fresh at this time of year, and being the defending champ, the urgency isn't as strong to win this to complete the Career Grand Slam. Federer's clock is tick-tocking. This is his first Slam as a 30-year old. And with the 2012 Olympics being at The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (a little club in Wimbledon with which you may be familiar), I've got to think that FedEx knows that the time to bow out of the game is coming. Nadal and Djokovic have passed him and can beat him on any given occasion, he's 30, he's got 2 twin daughters, and millions and millions of dollars. Something tells me he plays through next season and calls it a day. That said, if he's ever going to win another Slam tournament, it needs to be soon. It probably needs to be now, actually. I've got a good feeling about him right now, too. Had a great French Open, a decent showing (not for his standards, though) at Wimbledon, and he's got a nice chance to win it. So, since it may be the final time I can ever legitimately pick Roger Federer to win a Grand Slam tournament, I'm going to do it.
• Off to watch the "Opening Ceremonies" to the tournament. I've always found that odd. The tournament started 6 hours earlier, several matches have been played, and THEN they have the Opening Ceremonies. Often they tribute one particular player and then get a big music name to do "God Bless America," and one other song with a local choir. Not sure who the "headliner" is, but then we get Venus Williams and Roger Federer in their first round matches. I'm a happy man this time of year. A happy man.
  

Enjoy the U.S. Open, folks. I'll be back to say more at some point before the end.

Randomly Random

Hi there, my internet minions. Been a week, let's get right to it.

• Jim Hendry, we hardly knew ye. The embattled Cubs GM was finally relieved of his duties last Friday. Now, here's the weird part. He was relieved of his duty this past Friday, August 19th, but he was actually fired on July 22. That's right, they fired him, then asked him to stay on with the team to get them past the deadline and then sign their new draft picks, all while staying completely quiet about having been fired. Hash-tag awkward, folks. But you know what? Jim Hendry's a classy guy, and he stayed until the day the announcement was finally made. It's actually a shame things didn't work out for him here. He started with a bang, and helped compile a masterful team in 2003 that SHOULD have won it all. After that, it was just bad contract after bad contract, 2 teams that should've won something that didn't, and a future that doesn't look too bright thanks to the massive contracts. But one signing Jim Hendry made will always stick in my mind...
  Ted Lilly was a .500 pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays. He'd once famously gotten into a fist-fight with his manager for having been taken out of a game. Jim Hendry was in a hospital bed recovering from a fairly major heart procedure, and he wasn't supposed to be working. He wasn't going to die, but he wasn't in great shape. However, from his hospital bed, he consummated a deal with Ted Lilly to bring him to the Cubs. Now, in the end, Lilly had a pretty nice career while he was here for a couple of years; however, what will stick with me is the fact that Jim Hendry thought that Ted Lilly was worth dying for. Think about that for a second. That's a dedicated man.
• The US Open Tennis Championships start a week from today. I'll tell you what, I'll leave that there, as something tells me there's going to be at least one dedicated entry to the Open. Suffice it to say I'm pretty stoked.
• Awwwww... I just saw that Nick Ashford of Ashford and Simpson passed away today. 69. Sad.
• Why is a brand new album with both Kanye West and Jay-Z one of the most boring albums I've heard all year? This is shocking to me. Like or dislike either of these artists, their albums are usually pretty exciting and energetic. Watch The Throne is anything but. Kind of disappointing.
• By the by, anyone can try, but it'll never fly. Nobody is going to release a better album this year than Adele's 21. Nobody. And with the Grammy nomination period coming to an end in about 5 weeks, I'd say she's all but got Album of the Year locked up. Book it. Trust me, I'm very good at handicapping the Grammys.
• Hopefully, by the time you read my next blog, the situation in Libya will have calmed down, and that Gadhafi will be taken from power. I don't want him to be strung up and killed, persay. I believe he needs to be tried for his crimes. The Libyan citizens need a chance to live their lives in peace, and choose the direction in which their country heads going forward. Even if WE don't agree with it, if it's their choice, it's better than what they have.
• I'd like to end with my commentary on the 2011 Chicago Bears after the first half of tonight's game: .......................................

Thanks for reading!!!