tommybear.com

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Go to March 2008

Picture Portfolios

Wendy's Going Away Party and Hung's Christmas Party

Olive Garden Birthday

02/05/2005

Cool River Birthday

Random Pictures

Dance (01/02/2007)

Longhorns are National Champs!! Longhorns are National Champs!

(1/4/2006)

Go Horns! The start of the Horn's disappointing season

(10/31/2006)

Watch your back BJ Penn, I got my blue belt in Brazilian Jujitsu!

Everyone should try to quit smoking. Smoke free 2.5 years.

(pictured in 2002)

Really gay over the shoulder pose.

(pictured in 2003)

February 2008 Archives

www.tommybear.com

movie reviews updated 11/28/2007

Painting and Drawing updated 2/21

Jujitsu/MMA commentary updated 12/04/07

The cast and crew of my life:

Click on head for pics

ordered by updates

Repeat Topics

When am I NOT pitchy?

Karaoke

02/29/2008

My Idol Front Runners and Back Runners

Front runners:

Ramiele Malubay and Michael Johns

David Archuleta is a close second to Michael Johns but he's no Pop Star yet.

I can't stand Asia'h. Every time she sings it sounds like she's wheezing or out of breath. Her rendition of All by Myself was karaoke, amateur, crappy hour. I also hate Nurse/Rocker Amanda. She's kind of ugly and can't sing anything unless she's yelling. She tried to sing a song with a slow part last week and it made me want to hit a gong.

02/26/2008

Good Will Hunting and Good Will Hunting The Sequel

I kind of feel sorry for Ben Affleck who got his career ruined by Jennifer Lopez. I thought he was a good actor and he seemed like a funny guy.

Here's a scene in Good Will Hunting and the sequel of that scene.

The original

The Sequel

02/26/2008

Mayweather Decides to Be a Clown in the WWE Rather Than Cross Over To MMA

Back in December 2007, Floyd Mayweather, who is arguably the best boxing welterweight champion ever, talked about crossing over to MMA (mixed martial arts.) Mark Cuban was supposedly in serious talks with him about fighting in Cuban's fledgling promotion company HDNet Fights (ESPN article).

Of course every welterweight MMA fighter in the game wanted to thump him on the head for even thinking he could cross over successfully initially.

But Ken Shamrock had a good point when he said, “We’re missing the boat on this. Everybody’s missing the boat on this. They’re going, ‘Yeah, we’ll put him against our top guy.’ Well, we know he’s not going to survive. He’s going to get killed, so therefore he’ll never fight. It’s never going to happen.”

Shamrock wants to bring him in slowly so that MMA can get more recognition whereas many MMA purists just want to punish Mayweather for his arrogance.

Instead of actually being serious about crossing over into MMA and working towards that goal, Mayweather has decided to go into pro wrestling instead. I used to like pro wrestling back in the day when they pretended it was real. Now that they've decided to just embrace it as entertainment, it is really hard to watch. Sometimes they'll have these long dramatic scenes filmed in the locker room or at someone's house instead of just having a fake interview where an opposing wrestler will sneak up and bash them on the head.

So now Mayweather, who is 5'8'' and about 150 pounds, will star in the circus that is the WWE as he is scheduled to take on 7 feet, 430 pound wrestler Big Show. At least when Rocky fought Thunderlips, Rocky was supposed to be a heavyweight fighter (even though Stallone is probably way under 200 lbs.)

Mayweather looking up at Big Show ready to get his act on.

Rocky v Thunderlips in Rock III

02/26/2008

Latest Bowling Scores

We broke our three week point drought last night but still lost 3-4. There was only one person who bowled on the other team which means that his three absentee teammates would all take 10 points below their average with handicap. We were missing Trina ourselves so she would get the same penalty.

We won the first game by about 50 points but then lost the second game by about 20 points. Even though I bowled a 215 in the third game (my average is normally 173) we STILL lost the third game! I think we're just getting bad match ups or our handicaps are bloated. We can't exactly get our handicaps down much because it seems like we are bowling our average or higher every week but are still getting beat by opposing teams that have players with breakout games.

Hopefully we can ride the momentum of at least breaking our drought.

02/25/2008

UT Education Paid In Full

After 11 years I just made my last payment to my school loans. Thank god I'm not smart enough to get an advanced degree.

Now I just need to pay off three credit cards, a car, and a $400 bucks left on my television and I'll be in the black.

What's weird is I was trying pay off a little extra on my car to get the balance down but I guess since it's an installment account, I'm either forced to pay my installment amount, 2 times that amount, or the whole thing. For example I can't pay a third of my auto loan balance. I guess they either want you to pay the whole thing off or keep paying the installment amount so they can make their finance charges.

02/25/2008

Is There Anything Wrong With A Caffeinated Workout?

I decided to start working out in the morning because I feel like I have more energy in the morning. Then I started to wonder, is that only because I drink coffee in the morning?

Sometimes when I workout midday on the weekend, I'll brew a cup of coffee for a boost. Today, I felt like I needed an extra boost and I didn't feel like going through the trouble of making a big pot of coffee just for myself. Instead, I headed down to HEB and bought a 4 pack of sugar free Red Bull like the kids drink.

The only time I've ever drank Red Bull is in a Yager Bomb which is a shot of Yager submerged in half a can of Red Bull. Drinking it this morning really reminded me of the days when that was my shot of choice and made me slightly nauseated. Have memories of pounding drinks doesn't really help you gear up to workout. Actually Red Bull tastes kind of gross. It tastes like Formula 44 D which was my Dad's cough medicine of choice.

I don't think I can drink Red Bull. I might have to go try some of their competitors. On top of that, Red Bull is kind of expensive. I think it was like 5 or 6 bucks for a 4 pack.

I also wonder is it unhealthy to caffeinate a workout? I tried to look up anti caffeine literature but never really found anything compelling. I don't see how getting some pep for a workout with caffeine is that horrible considering so many casual beverages have it like iced tea and coke.

02/25/2008

I Have A Blue Ray Player/PS3 Now But There Aren't Any Movies Available to Rent at Blockbuster and Michael Clayton is Great

So I finally move into the High Def DVD era by getting a PS3 which doubles as a Blue Ray player. Excited at seeing my first Blue Ray movie, I head towards Blockbuster video because I remembered them having a Blue Ray section. It looked like they had maybe one of every movie available (which barely fills up half a row) not like in the regular dvd section where you might find 50 Gone Baby Gone's.

I had to get a regular old copy of Michael Clayton because the Blue Ray one was gone. That movie is fantastic. It's probably the best movie I've seen in 2007. The story telling method felt very similar to the movie Traffic to me which probably has something to do with Soderbergh and Clooney being involved with the project.

I rooted for MC the whole way through the Oscars because that's basically the only Oscar movie I've seen. For some of the actor roles I've seen Gone Baby Gone and Away From Her. MC didn't quite get shut out because Tilda Swinton won. I may actually like No Country For Old Men or There Will Be Blood more when I eventually see it but Michael Clayton is the best movie I've seen in a long time.

I think I'm going to check out Netflix to see if they have a lot of Blue Ray movies available. I looked at the Blue Ray movie section at Fry's and they cost about $30 a piece. That's way too much money to own a movie you may see only once. I'd rather buy a video game or something.

02/22/2008

Taking a Sobriety Test Is Like A Clutch Performance In A Sporting Event

I don't condone drunk driving but if you get pulled over and you're borderline, you better have the physical performance of your life during the sobriety test.

If you fail this is what you have in your future: jail time, lawyers, car impounding, jacked up license renewal fees, car insurance going up, suspended license, and a bunch of other crap.

So what's a person to do? Try and pass the test and risk that being used against you in a court of law if you fail? If you refuse to do the field test, you are going straight to jail.

I myself has had to turn in a clutch performance during a sobriety test once. I think it's bs when people say they can't do the test sober. If you can't do it sober you're either a retarded klutz or you have Parkinsons. Dont' worry, they don't make you do the alphabet backwards anymore.

This is what a test might consist of. First of all, the cop will tell you that you're being recorded. Then, the first test you might do is stand on one leg and count until he tells you stop. You don't have to raise your off leg like a flamingo. You can just hold that leg slightly in front of you and keep your arms at your side. Unlike when you play a sport, you basically have no practice in these events. They're pretty much the first time you ever do them. It's kind of similar to field day where you have to hop in a potato sack for the first time in your life. I remember in the one legged test I could feel my weight shifting ever so gently on the balls of my feet. Once I felt like I knew how to stabilize my weight in this manner I felt like I could be there forever.

The second test that you might do and I did is walk in a straight line going heel to toe, then heel toeing in a circle, and then walking back the other way counting the whole time. You have to make sure not to wobble or fall and be able to count and walk at the same time. Don't step out of bounds!

The third test is one you may or may not necessarily be able to pass depending on how drunk you are. The policeman will have you look straight ahead at him and he'll tell you to follow his pen with your eyes without moving your head at all. He's checking to see if you eyeballs can focus and if they vibrate at all. If you're crazy drunk your eyes will betray you. I remember trying to achieve maximum concentration like a batter watching a fast ball.

Needless to say I passed but the whole ordeal is like trying to climb out of a nightmare. One of my friends recently had to pass his first field sobriety test. The cop told him it was clear that he had been drinking but he did well enough on the test.

I hope I never have to take another one.

02/20/2008

Maybe I Like Obama Now?

I caught a snippet of one of Obama's speeches on Headline News this morning.

It went something like this, "In such a state, we can afford to wait. We can not wait to fix a broken health care system. We can not wait to fix our schools. We can not wait to end global warming. We can not wait to create good jobs. We can not wait to bring this war in Iraq to a close."

I think I kind of like Obama now. That's a real catchy speech. I actually sort of liked Hillary last month but now I feel like I'm starting to fall for Obama's well spoken, charismatic speeches.

Hillary knows she can't compete with all that charisma all up in her grill so she has to say stuff like don't fall for Obama's fancy speeches. Check out my experience. ZZZZZZZ.

Then I started to think, would other countries respect a woman president? Wouldn't other countries listen more closely to a strong, black man instead?

And what about the republicans? It looks like McCain wants to stay in Iraq forever and ever and ever. I don't like the sound of that. And doesn't Huckabee not believe in evolution? The thought of a guy like that in office sounds a little scary to me. I bet he tries to get creative design taught in schools and reverse Roe v Wade the first chance he gets.

Tommybear.com endorses Obama! For now.

02/19/2008

Get Your Screen Cleaned By This Dog

I didn't make this but it sure is funny. It's like he's IN your computer!

02/19/2008

Rock Band is No Menace If You Play Responsibly

So based on Wardro's story about how his friend's neighbor is always banging on the wall or threatening to call the police, I just thought Rock Band was a very loud game. It definitely can be a loud game but it doesn't have to be.

First of all, his friend has the sound hooked up to an amplified sound system. To play quietly, he needs to turn the bass and volume way down or just patch the sound through his television instead. His neighbor said the game made his walls vibrate. Only loud bass could have caused that.

The guitar portion of Rock Band isn't loud at all. You're just squeezing buttons on a plastic guitar.

The singing portion of Rock Band can be loud but it doesn't have to be. If you sing at a speaking level, it's not any louder than the television. If you feel the need to screech Metallica at the top of your lungs then that would be pretty obnoxious to the neighbors. The truth is, the microphone is pretty sensitive and singing at a speaking level is very doable.

I thought the drum portion of rock band was going to be really loud but it's not nearly as loud as I had imagined. It's not quite as loud as a stick hitting a plastic drum like the guy on the old Levi's commercial. The Rock Band drums are not hollow so they don't resonate nearly as loud. Making the drums super loud or super soft just really depends on you. I don't know how loud you need to get to play the drums well on a harder skill level, but you can pretty much control how hard you hit these plastic drums.

In conclusion, Rock Band can be played in an apartment if you replay responsibly and don't crank up the volume. Just don't be obnoxious about the game and you live in peace.

02/18/2008

First Ebony Pencil Drawing I've Done in Years

Here's the first ebony pencil drawing I've done in at least 5 or 6 years. I'm trying to see if Asian themed pictures are my niche.

02/18/2008

Simon likes Drunkathlete.com

Some of the pics on this website are pretty weak, like guys just posing at a party, but some of them are classic. Check out bff's Nowitzki and Steve Nash getting hammered.

If you own these pics and need me to take them down just email me at tomdo98@aol.com.

02/18/2008

XBox v Sony Playstation 3 and Blue Ray v HD DVD

While I've wallowed away in GameCube/Xbox/Ps2 land, I've always imagined the next generation console I would buy would be the Xbox 360. I gave my ex-roomate, Dae, the PS2 during our move and I gave my GameCube to my brother so I've been basically just playing the Xbox for the past three years. I also have a Wii but that's a different type of console altogether. I believe the 360 and the PS2 have been around for almost 2 years now but I've always thought they were way too expensive. I believe the PS3 was about $599 or something when it first came out and the 360 might have been $499. That may not be completely precise but it was up there and certainly way more than I ever spent for my previous generation consoles.

If people did own a new console, I would always hear that it's a 360. I also believe that during the past two years the 360 has been easily outselling the PS3. That probably has a lot to do with the price and because the 360 was released earlier than the PS3.

Another significant difference between the two machines that I heard about was that the PS3 supported Blue Ray DVDs and the 360 supported HD DVD. I would find out later that I didn't really understand the differences between these features at all.

Last weekend, I decided that it was time for me to step into 2008 and purchase a new console. But which one would I buy? I scoured the internet for a comparison review and I found this great article:

http://www.hardcoreware.net/playstation-3-vs-xbox-360-one-year-later/

This article gave so many great pros and cons from both sides that it still didn't really help me make a decision but there was an article in my local newspaper's business section that did. The article was about how both Walmart and Blockbuster would now only stock Blue Ray discs exclusively. For those of you who don't know, there has been a format war between HD-DVD and Blue Ray discs. They are DVDs that are in HD format and can only be played in a DVD that supports their particular format. They are not cross compatible. That means if you have a Blue Ray DVD player, it will not play HD-DVDs and vise vera. This is exactly like the VHS/BETA VCR wars that played out in the 80s.

I searched buy.com and amazon.com and I couldn't really find a Blue Ray DVD player that was less than $300. This pretty much swayed my decision to get a PS3 instead of an XBox. In addition, I always thought the XBOX came with an HD-DVD player built in like PS3's Blue Ray feature but it does not. An add on HD DVD for the XBox is an additional $150! With the PS3, I kind of looked at it like not only am I getting a game console, I'm getting a Blue Ray player as well.

Coincidentally, just this morning after I've already purchased the PS3, Headlines News announced that the war between Blue Ray and HD DVD is in fact OVER. I think the public thought the battle was going to rage on for quite a bit longer. The war is over. Blue Ray wins. I win.

There is also another benefit to PS3 being able to play Blue Ray discs over the XBox just being able to play DVDs. Sony PS3 is all about unfulfilled potential. The hardware, if used at its highest capabilities, is supposed to be able to dominate the 360. The only problem is, none of the games actually use all this potential. The same thing goes for the discs. The Blue Ray discs can hold more data and conceivably bigger and better games than the 360, but the game developers for the PS3 have yet to tap into this either. But perhaps they will someday.

So there you have it. My winner. The comparisons with graphics, games, and online play didn't really phase me that much since I'm no 8 hour a day gamer. I really just wanted to get a new console to play Madden, basketball games, and ROCK BAND.

Me and my GF got in two ROCK BANDS songs this morning. I'm a creep....

02/14/2008

Equipment You P90X Newbies Need

So I was trying to convince Simon and Thang to give p90X a try. They, as well as you other potential Xers might want to know exactly what equipment you need.

You need a chin up bar for all the DVDs that have "back" in the title. Some people don't like the idea of having to drill holes in their doorway to install a permanent metallic eye sore. Well you needn't worry anymore because engineers have developed a chin up bar that hooks on your doorway when you need it, and comes right off when you're done.

Wardro introduced me to the drill-less chin up bar

It's kind of hard to believe that a bar that just hangs on your doorway is stable. I'm about 155 lbs and I've used it for the past 2 weeks. It's extremely stable. I even get on those outside, wide grip extensions, which would put the most stress on the bar, and I feel completely safe.

In addition to a chin up bar, you need either several dumbbells or adjustable dumbbells. You can get one that has plates you take on and off but you'll need quite a few variations so you might as well just get some solid hexagon weights or several adjustable dumbbells. The weights I found I needed at a minimum are 10 lbs, 20 lbs, and 30lbs. I'm going to get some half pound ones this weekend.

Getting a mat is pretty nice if you don't like laying on your own carpet. Bands are are an alternative to the weights and even to the chin up bar. The videos show how you can use bands in all their exercises as opposed to the chin up bar and dumbbells.

02/14/2008

Business Ideas That Will Probably Never Work

As I sit in my mundane job I try to brainstorm how to be my own boss. Here's what I came up with:

1. Open a gym - There are still small gyms that compete because they go for a niche market. For example there are gyms for people that don't like the roided up, thong on spandex crowd. They like a quieter gym with older, calmer people. There are also gyms for a specialized type of fitness enthusiast like rock climbing, boxing, or cycling to name a few.

2. Open a bar - Who doesn't like a quiet corner bar that serves burgers and beers? But who likes the responsibilities of a liquor license and having to defend yourself when you serve someone who didn't appear overly drunk.

3. Open a wing place or some place that only sells one type of food.

4. Open a liquor store

5. Open an Alamo like franchise in a city that doesn't have one - This would probably require like a million bucks.

6. Buy and sell extremely risky stock

7. Dae wants to open a place that just sells ICE but I don't know if I get it.

8. Open a franchise - It would have to be one of the horribly cheap ones.

I better get back to work. These are horrible ideas.

02/13/2008

Frank and His Phone

I heard Frank lost his phone the other day. He loved that phone.

Check out how he's ignoring all the activity that's going on around him as he gazes into his IPhone.

I lifted this picture form someone's Myspace.

02/13/2008

The Menace of Rock Band?

Just the other day, when I was heading into my apartment, I heard some loud music. That really isn't that unusual except I could have sworn I heard people, other than the original recording artist, singing. All of the sudden I got really paranoid. Did my neighbors just acquire Rock Band?

For those of you who don't know, Rock Band is a game that I believe is a spin off from Guitar Hero. The Rock Band game comes with a guitar but it also has a microphone and drums.

You can basically play the guitar with headphones and not make much noise but you can not beat on some drums and sing into a microphone and not make a lot of noise. Although the drums are fake, it's still like beating on a plastic bucket with wooden sticks and when people sing, they have to sing at a regular noise level. No one can whisper sing. I supposed you could go false and be less obnoxious.

Wardro has a friend whose neighbor has banged on the wall, knocked on the door, and left a threatening note about how disturbing the Rock Band game is.

I never did find out if my neighbors acquired Rock Band. The noise level is pretty insulated from my neighbors on the same level. It's only upstairs and downstairs where you might hear sound.

I hear so much about Rock Band that I sort of want to own it now. I mean, what if you hit the drums a little softer than normal and sing at a speaking volume? Couldn't be much louder than the tv could it?

Perhaps Wardro and his friends are just really cranking up the volume and Rock Band isn't really that loud.

02/08/2008

Things I Am Now Too Old To Do

So February 5th I turned 33. Here is a list of things I am now too old to do or to START.

1. Go back to school. Not that I want to go to school but I am now at that age where I MUST work because I have debt and I have bills. I am not about to work AND go to school. That doesn't sound like fun at all. In college I worked in the mailroom and that was plenty. When would I have time to p90x or go bowling? Never. What degree would I even get? Nothing.

2. Become a professional MMA fighter - HA! Not like I have the physical tools or skills to ever do this but if I actually did, who starts at 33? Talk about being behind in the game. It takes years to master BBJ and all of the other finer arts and by the time I had enough training my body would be too run down to take the rigors of training and damage.

3. Buy an overpriced sports car. A man who's 33 does not buy a sports car he can not afford and not have a dime in his pocket to try to impress shallow people.

4. Eat hamburgers, fried chicken, and donuts everyday. My 33 year old body does not have the metabolism to process this food well. Not like my 20 something body did either.

5. Work at a job where I have to travel all the time. I did this for 7 years. Why would anyone over 30 do this? My life has never been better as I get to go home every day and hang out with my friends at bowling and pool once a week. I get to learn Jujitsu and have date night and I get to enjoy a lazy Sunday night without having to rush to the airport. The money was never worth it. I lie. The money was worth it when it was close to y2k because everyone was making good money.

6. Going to an 18 and over club or a RAVE- God. Talk about being the old man at the club. Try going to Paradox (an 18 and over club in Downtown Austin) or rocking out with glow sticks at a rave.

7. Drive really fast all the time or ride a motorcycle - I am trying to live longer not shorter. What's the hurry anyways? And the time for trying to look cool and dangerous by riding a motorcycle is long gone. Nothing cool about being a paraplegic.

02/07/2008

Howdy. It's My Birfday

I know Simon gets pissed off when I do stupid captions so I'm going to do it again.

"Howdy, it's just a few hours till my Birfday. Look at the beautiful cake my gurfriend made me."

Trina doesn't like the joke told at the North side of the table.

Lisa doling out bear hugs for my birfday.

We almost all couldn't fit on one table.We went from an L shape, to a T shape, to a skinny I.

"I'm ready to have my picture taken now."

"Great pic guys. Thumbs up all the way! Whoops. I didn't retract my thumb!"

"Now, we're talking. Don't lose that enthusiasm!"

"That p90X must be working. Looks at the size of my arm! It's thigh sized!"

The hand says, follow me...

It's time for your candid, extreme close up. 1,2, 3 smile!

Oh I hate this crick in my neck. Maybe if I stretch it out.

Sophia likes birfdays.

I'm no cranky baby.

Cheating on his diet with exactly one fry.

I wonder who just said something funny to Monique.

It's birfday shot time.

My mouth is puckering from just looking at the lime.

Trina says, "Get out of my shot, Lisa!"

Let's all do a sweet pose.

I can't see! What did Ward get me for my birfday?

"I can't see!" says Lisa, "Who's that behind me?"

I heart crawdaddies.

02/07/2008

Happy Lunar New Year!

My birthday always falls around several events. Mardi Gras, Super Tuesday, the Superbowl, and Lunar New Year. Some might say Valentine's day too but that's about nine days away.

Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year to some, is celebrated by a lot of countries in East Asia. The Vietnamese call it Tết (pronounced sort of like dut in Vietnamese, but not really.) Some of you may have heard of the Tết offensive which was carried out during the Lunar New Year.

For Tết, the Vietnamese like to get together with family, pay respects to relatives who have passed away, eat, and gamble. Mandy and I went to Dallas last week for some Tết celebrations. There wasn't a lot going on because we got there sort of late on Saturday but at least we did get to see a dragon dance.

One of the memories I have of Tết as a kid is going to a big fair in Dallas. There would be food and games. What they also had that drew a big crowd was gambling. The local authorities would usually turn a blind eye to the gambling because it was only once a year and it was kind of traditional.

The game, in Vietnamese, is called Bau cua ca cop which literally translated means Gourd, Crab, Fish, and Tiger. The game is super simple. A mat is placed down with pictures of six things like the aforementioned Gourd, Crab, and Fish. There is also a picture of a deer, a rooster, and a shrimp. Sometimes these pictures get swapped out with something else. The "dealer" has a dish with three dice. On the six sided dice are pictures of everything on the mat. The dealer will put another dish on top of the three dice and then let everyone put money on the pictures. The dealer will then shake the dish and open it to reveal what the three dice landed on. If you see your picture once, you get 1 time your money. If you see the picture on two dice, you get double your money, and on three dice you get triple your money. It's kind of fun in a roulette kind of way.

It didn't take long for the city and cops to shut this game down permanently a long time ago. Now that I think about it, why would an exception be made? When you got to a fair now, you might be able to win a stuffed animal, get some food, buy things, or pick up some flyer from someone with a cause.

No more gambling though. I pick GOURD!

02/06/2008

Big Trouble In Little China

Here's on of my favorite 80s movies. It's so campy and funny. The trailers in the 80s were as bad as they are now. This particular trailer has practically a bit of every scene in the movie.

02/06/2008

Football Depression Hurts

Turns out the last football game of the year was the most exciting football game of this very short season. I think I heard that this last Superbowl wasn't only the most watched Superbowl of all time but one of the most watched television programs of all time. It was only second to the infamous final episode of Mash (which I've never seen.)

With the hundreds of stations cable and satellite now offer, I guess nothing is going to beat the final episode of Mash. Maybe if they do something really really outrageous like execute a man on TV or televise a satellite feed of aliens. then they could beat out Mash.

So what to do now that football is over and the climaxes of all Superbowl climaxes have faded? There is nothing more boring to me than College Basketball. I just can't get into it. I know that Texas is going to get in the tournament no matter what so I just feel no motivation to watch any regular season games. In addition, I can't get excited about going to the arena to watch them because they serve no booze.

I generally like the NBA but that's not nearly as exciting as watching a good football game. The best part of the NBA is the fourth quarter. A big play can happen anytime in a football game and change the whole complexion of a game. I big play in an NBA game can never really have that much effect on a game until the last minute. A good run in an NBA game is important but never any single play.

If you think back to the Superbowl there were some huge plays through the game that couldn't be missed. One was when Belichick challenged that there were 12 men on the field and got a first down only to be turned about by the New York football Giants. Instead of the Giants going in the locker room down 14-3 or 10-3, they kept it to a manageable 3-7. That was huge and that happened before halftime.

I can't watch baseball whatsoever unless I'm at the ballpark eating a hotdog and drinking a beer. And when did the NHL stop coming on free tv? I heard the All Star Game was on cable's VS channel the other day. Woof. How far have they fallen? Remember when they tried to get more viewers on Fox by digitally changing the puck to red so people could follow it better?

Don't even get me started on Nascar. I can't even believe how boring it is watching cars drive around in circles. TV tries to pretty it up with a ton of graphics but it's like I'm watching someone play a racing video game. Can I play next?

I always like watching UFC and MMA but that doesn't come on regularly. There's about one pay per view a month but that's not like spending Saturday and Sunday afternoon watching games.

Too bad Vince McMahon's XFL didn't work out. But he made that league way too jokey for anyone to take seriously. Maybe I can get a feed of the CFL to scratch my itch but I don't think I know anyone who takes CFL bets.

02/06/2008

P90X Update

I've been using the P90X videos for about 11 days now skipping only one day. But I can't even say that I'm a real p90xer because I just do what ever video I feel like doing. I do the entire video and I do them as intense as I can but I just completely leave out a bunch of videos. For example, maybe day 5 is Legs and Back. Maybe I'm too tired that day. Maybe I don't feel like working my legs that day so I choose Shoulders Arms and Tri's instead and tell myself I'll do legs and back tomorrow.

I think it's ok. It's way more intense of a work out than what I normally do. Plus it's nice and compact. I know that if I have an hour I can squeeze in some P90.

The X is for Extreme! If anyone I know wants to try it out let me know. I know Thang has expressed interest.

I need to go back to academy and get some more weights, a mat, and some more resistance bands.

02/05/2008

Bowling Week 4 Update

I was pretty frustrated with my bowling in week 3. For the life of me, I could not adjust to the oily lane with my current ball.

I was so frustrated I decided to go to the pro shop and just get a brand new ball that would hook more on oily lanes so I didn't have to throw it any differently.

I went in and when asked, 'May I help you?" I just mumbled "I just came here to look at your balls." Mandy thought it was hilarious. I told him I have a pretty good ball for medium oil but I needed the baddest, hookingest ball he had in stock for super oily conditions. Of course he pointed me to the most expensive ball he carried which is the Resurgence by Columbia 300.

I got exactly what I needed because that ball bites (hooks) like a son of a bitch. The lanes this week were actually significantly less oily than it was last week so I didn't even really need my new ball. My old ball was working fine. I was able to use my new ball for the 4 and 7 pins. The ball hooked so well that I could throw it at the 7 pin and walk away just knowing that it would seek out my pin. In addition, I upped my ball weight by 1 pound to 15 and I think that also helps the ball hook because the weight helps the ball maintain friction and spin.

I did a lot better this week with scores of 193, 182, and 164. I really blew that 164 game because I kept missing 10 pin pickups. If I could pick up the freaking 10 pin it would up my score per game by at least 30 points.

Averages were: Tom - 179, Mandy - 134, Trina - 116, Ward - 152.

02/04/2008

Hater Bowl One of the Greatest Superbowl Games I've Ever Seen

Maybe it was because I put money on the game. Maybe it's because I hate Tom Brady and Bill B. Maybe it's because the Giants beat the Cowboys. Whatever it was, last night's Hater Bowl was one of the most exciting Superbowl games I have ever seen. There aren't that many NFL games where I'm going to get up out of my chair and jump around and start high fiving people. I probably do that a lot more at UT games because every game counts and UT likes to make horrible, ferocious comebacks.

So I thought the Cowboys felt bad after having a great 13-3 season and then losing in the first round of the playoffs. That's nothing compared to the Patriots' let down after winning 18 straight games. The has to be the all time greatest let down in the game.

Let's break down why this game was so freaking great.

For starters, off the top of my head, this has to be one of biggest upsets in football history. Was it the biggest line in NFL Superbowl history? No. But what other team has beat an undefeated team in the Superbowl?

The back story to last nights game was also incredibly interesting. Here you have Eli Manning, little brother of Peyton Manning who is arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks, stats wise, in NFL history and who had just won a championship in the previous year. What a ridiculous shadow to live under or is Peyton really just Eli's wind beneath his wings? I have to believe these brothers absolutely love each other. I don't think there is any real sibling rivalry. I think it's more of a big brother/little brother relationship where they have each other's backs. I think this is all pretty evident when you watch that lick contest, Oreo commercial.

What about Tiki barber talking trash about the team right before he retired? He said something to the effect that Eli was no leader and Coughlin couldn't coach this team. Tiki could go an entire lifetime without being to swallow all that pride. I actually kind of feel bad for Jeremy Shockey though. Everyone thought it was such a huge loss when he got injured but now it's like Shockey who? I have to believe that the chemistry change of swapping out Shockey and Tiki for Boss and Brandon Jacobs were key in getting this team to a championship. It even looked like Tiki knew exactly what he was talking about when the Giants lost their first two games.

And of course there's the back story of the juggernaut Patriots. In the beginning of the season, they were busted for video taping teams. That seemed to piss off Belichick and the rest of the Patriots because they started blowing out teams and were accused of running up the score. Now that they've lost the Superbowl, a senator wants to question the commissioner of the NFL and find out why he destroyed all of the tapes. And they've also recently found out that the Patriots might have taped the Rams final walkthrough in their first Superbowl appearance which means they had calls like red zone plays. Was this Superbowl just a case of karma and just desserts?

Man, and then what about that 4th quarter where we witnessed three different lead changes? Bruschi and Seau shared a nice man hug when Brady drove the ball to take a 4 point lead. It's funny but on talk radio, they said that even though the Patriots scored seven points, they should have run the ball a few times to milk the clock instead of giving the Giants about 3 minutes with 3 time outs. More evidence of Patriot arrogance like going for it on 4th and 14 instead of kicking a field goal? Maybe the Patriots are actually so arrogant they only had a fake kicker.

In conclusion I woke up Monday morning feeling like I had won something. I guess I won a couple of Superbowl bets but it's a nice feeling to root for a long shot and have that team come through in the end.

Tom Brady Scoffing at 17 points

01/30/2008

Getting Ready For The Hater Bowl

After watching Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson get on stage and sing with some cover band (shown on the You Tube Below), I'm so over the Cowboys losing to the Giants. Now don't get me wrong, I still love my Cowboys, but now I can put behind that loss and focus on how to make myself interested in this year's Superbowl.

Right off the bat, I'm going to place $100 dollars on the <bleeeeeep>. I actually can't say because my completely legal bookie in Las Vegas my might move the line on me.

Secondly, I just conjure up more hate for the New England Patriots. I remember when a Brady led team won their first Superbowl in 2002. They were actually 14 points underdogs (according to Wiki) to the St Louis Rams. And now they're just another evil empire. I feel like they are far more evil than the New York Yankees ever were. At least the Yankees had a teddy bear coach in Joe Torre that made them seem a lot softer.

How can you not hate Bill Belichick? Did anyone see that big huge red blister on his lip he's had lately while granting interviews? That guy is completely joyless. Some of the players say they've never even seen him eat a real meal. They'll just see him going to the cafeteria and stuffing his mouth with a handful of potato chips. I saw him give a soulless giggle on ESPN the other day. It was so forced.

And what about pretty boy, butt chinned Brady? That dude's a sleaze. Someone told him Plexico Burress said the score was going to be 21-17 and he busted a stitch/gut laughing so hard. What the hell is so funny? You've covered like 1 out of 5 lines lately. What makes me hate them more is that I've actually wagered against the New England Patriots once this year (against the Pittsburg Steelers) and then for them (against Jacksonville) and I've come up on the short end of that stick twice. When you bet on the devil and still lose, it makes you feel dirty. What's also sort of funny was during media day, there was this reporter wearing a wedding dress and ask him to marry her (I think she asked Eli too) and Brady said, "I'm a one woman man." You're a what?? Didn't you leave you're beautiful pregnant girlfriend to be with Giselle Bunchen? Sounds like you'll take the next best offer to me.

The Patriots used to be this noble team where all the players had no egos, didn't care about money, and just wanted to win championships. Now they all talk like their shit don't stink. I hate watching the smug faces of Seau, Bruschi, and Harrison. I have to admit, I kind of like Wes Welker. That guy is so small and quick! But it sucks when he's catching first downs and you're rooting against the Pats.

So now I've worked up enough hate to watch the Superbowl. I'm going to watch the Superbowl, and then just hate on Brady and those jagoffs and hope I win $100.

C'mon, Eli! You can do it!

01/30/2008

Bowling Week 3

I had a horrible night at the bowling alley during my league week 3. To the lay person, bowling just looks like the same ole ball thrown at the same ole pins down the same ole alley. If you bowl with a spin, lane conditions mean everything and require you to make adjustments. You may then say, well why bowl with a spin then if things are going to get so confusing? Well the answer to that is a great straight bowler will never ever be as good as a great spin bowler. That's why there aren't any straight bowling professional bowlers. A straight roll just can't hit the pocket as hard and as consistently as a spin bowler.

So Monday the lanes were way too oily for my tastes. When the lanes are oily that ball cuts to the left less. I was missing everything to the right that night because of this. I can sort of add extra hook to the ball by dropping my shoulder more or cupping my wrist more, but since that's not my regular way of throwing the ball, doing that consistently out of nowhere is very difficult.

I prefer to just use different equipment so I may shop around for another ball.

Check out the carnage. After 6 games I averaged 190. My last three games, I averaged 129. Woof.