Unequivocal.

By The Fillerbuster

The Cast 022319

SETTING:

I am starting this during the KU-Texas Tech game during a quiet Saturday night at home while Lindsey is out with friends.  I will probably finish and post this tonight, as I plan on knocking out a Movie and maybe two warmup Game Of Thrones episodes from last season.  In the meantime, I feel the need…the need for speed.

No theme yet.  We will see where the writing takes us.  Limited editing, written all at once, and no plan.  Hope you enjoy.  Thanks for reading.

(On the brief edit, I would like to add that the second game I watched was UCLA and Oregon, with Bill Walton announcing.  Talk about being a happy camper.  Bill is insane and amazing.)

Let’s turn and burn.

EVERGREEN (topics that don’t fade away):   

DUNK CONTEST

I didn’t watch the dunk contest.  I was out of town at the time.  But, I watched the highlights.  People jumping over people and things, and names that most people don’t know outside of hard core basketball circles were involved.  This has to change, and once again, we are being teased with it.  We need the big names back.  We need the superstars back in it.  We need MJ vs. Dominique.  We need LeBron vs. Zion.  It is not a whole game.  Chances of injury are minimal.  So, let’s do it.  You want buy-in from the masses?  Let’s get the big names in the dunk contest.  Stop teasing me.  Let’s do it, boys.

UNC DUKE

Listen, maybe you aren’t from the Southeast.  Maybe you went to school in a non-ACC conference.  Maybe you hate basketball for some reason.  But, if you are any of the previous things, then you STILL need to mark your calendar for the next time UNC and Duke play hoops.  It is special.  It is easily the best rivalry in sports, but I would go out on a limb and say it might rival OSU-Michigan and Auburn-Bama in football.  The crowd is intense.  The big names are in the crowd like a Lakers playoff game.  The athleticism is magnificent.  The effort is off the charts.  The atmosphere is incredible.  The game is usually good, aside from this last one.  Not watching it?  I am sorry for you.  You need to schedule time.  You need to remove distractions.  And check out this.  Even in one of the more lopsided games in recent memory, you still had a “moment.”  Zion broke his shoe, and you probably had to tip-toe around the water cooler if you didn’t see it live.  NBA players have come and gone through the rivalry.  The series is 138-111.  In the past 36 years, Carolina and Duke have accounted for TWENTY EIGHT PERCENT of the nation’s total titles.  The schools are #3 and #4 in all time wins.  What are you waiting for?

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS

The Zion shoe incident has incensed the controversial topic of players going straight to the NBA after high school.  I am FIRMLY in the court of “LET THEM GO.”  Forcing them to do a year or two at a university is insulting to the schools, dangerous for the players, and only really makes college hoops fans happy for a year or two.  We are wasting their time.  Yes, Pandora’s Box will be open, and players will go straight to the League and not be good enough or ready.  But, is that sacrifice worth seeing players like Kevin Garnett, Lebron James, and Tracy McGrady in the big time earlier?  Yes.  Their bodies are ready typically, it is less violent than football, and we should watch the special players fly by any college years.  I will be sad of course.  I want to see those kids lace up for the blue bloods.  But, I also recognize the reality of the microcosm of the Zion situation.  Kids like that need to be seen by NBA fans, even if they are trapped in Atlanta or Phoenix for a few years.

BOB KRAFT

I have said things like this many times before.  I apologize for repeating myself, but the Bob Kraft story brings it to the forefront once again.  I am not rich.  I probably won’t be rich.  I will never have the real life knowledge, and can only extrapolate.  I get it.  I admit that I am not in the know.  But, WHY do rich people do some of the things they do?  And not WHAT they do, but HOW they do it?  When I read about a guy making $20 million a year getting a DUI, I wonder HOW does it not cross his mind to hire a personal driver to be on call whenever he needs them?  He could pay someone mattress money, like $100k a year, and stay off the police radar.  When Bob Kraft wants a prostitute, HOW does he not pay people crazy amounts of money to hide it?  Why is he going to a strip mall that is already under surveillance?  I will never get it.  Of course, NONE of these things are good people acts, so they shouldn’t’ do them in the first place.  But, why they aren’t using their bankroll to make sure things remain quiet will always be beyond me.  And maybe they WANT that experience of being at a place where NO one would expect them to be at.  But, in our age of technology, I am just saying to rent a house, use a fake name, pay ridiculous money for hush activity, buy a driver, etc.  Perplexing.

But, in the meantime, the only thing better for Pats haters would have been Mr. Brady being there.

BOWLING

Bowling intrigues me.  It is a sport.  People excel at it.  And 90% of the population is not good at it.  And most of those people don’t care.  But, it is so much freaking fun.  Yet, we space out our visits just enough that we will never get better.  Maybe we throw a ball straight.  Maybe we put some spin on it like they do on TV on Sunday mornings in off NFL season.  Maybe we are surprised that the bar food we order is NOT horrible.  But it is so much fun.  I can’t break 200.  I want to.  But, I know I will never practice enough to do it.  I have gotten three 192’s.  But, when it snowed last weekend, and Lindsey wanted to know my ideas for doing something, damn right I spit out “Bowling!”  You try and not think about how you are eating food without utensils even though you are sticking your fingers in a ball hole that hasn’t been cleaned in 30 years, and you try and knock the pins down.  It is brilliant.  And I don’t knock people who play in leagues or go every week.  All the power to them.  But, for us who will suck next time, and probably suck our next 10 trips, I just wanted to say thank you to the sport for a stupid good time.  Plus, for guys in their forties like me who wish glam rock was still around, the music set list of Scorpions, ACDC, and Def Leppard really makes us happy.  And don’t be sad about a bad score, but I will say that if you aren’t getting 100, then you have other problems.  I consider between 100 and 200 normal.  Below 100 is someone who is challenged.  Above 200 is someone who doesn’t admit they play regularly.  But, keep it in perspective, folks.  I watched last weekend a father who teased his 10 year-old son after throwing a spare.  The father ended up with a 104 for the game.  Don’t be THAT guy, but thank you, bowling.

WEEK-FISH (current topics of interest in sports):

By the way, why didn’t I name this “current,” as that is water related and this is The Cast?  Oh well.  We will stick with Weekfish.

NFL

• I know I sound like a broken record, but I could spend an hour or two digging into stats of second and third string QB’s in the NFL, and tell you that it is lacking overall.  But, you know that.  So, why isn’t Colin Kaepernick not getting calls?  I will tell you this.  Whether it is a rival like the Browns or Ravens, or just another team, I will have MAD respect for whichever team finally “breaks down” and signs that guy.  He deserves it.  We deserve it.  Get over it, people.
• The Antonio Brown situation is interesting beyond all belief.  I get it.  Someone will pick up him and Bell at some point through free agency/trade.  But, HOW is a working relationship in the locker room so bad that a top-flight receiver wants out of a winning situation?  No one likes Big Ben.  We get it.  But, he wins, he has two rings, he is not done yet, and I am riding that horse into the sunset and getting over whatever problems behind the scenes exist.  Ben is like the poor man’s version of Tom Brady-beating his age.  I love that teams aren’t banging down the door too.  AB does his social media thing, and pretty much exemplifies what a typical WR diva is.  I selfishly hope he lands somewhere, gets 140 receptions next year, and loses 10 games with my Steelers in the playoffs again.
• Speaking of guys leaving that situation, what is Emmanuel Sanders complaining about after an injury year?  He might not know WHO will be throwing to him, but at least they have two QB’s now who can sling it.  Sort of.
• Kevin Colbert STILL should not be calling the other Steelers “children” though.  I am knocking on his office door if I am one of the other Steelers players.
• Say what you want about the whole Kyler Murray situation.  He has sure made this year’s NFL combine REALLY interesting.
• Gronk.  Ride those Brady coat tails for another year, bro.  Do it.  You can still retire early relatively, and make all of your side money.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

No notes this round oddly.  We will take a week off.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

• I don’t care WHAT level you are at in the game.  In college hoops, anything over 30 points in a game for one guy is remarkable.  40 is insane.  50 is ludricrous.  Cameron Young might play for small time Quinnipac, but his 55 and 10 in triple OT demands respect.
• I know that one plays on the West Coast, and the other lost to a 16 seed last year, but I feel like UVA and Gonzaga are two of the quietest contenders in a while as far as media coverage.  Gonzaga is legit, people (and probably the new #1 next week).  With Killian (man, that is a cool name) Tillie returning, Gonzaga has all the parts for another deep run.  UVA is a bunch of innocent looking kids that play a system that just works.  UVA beat a pretty good Louisville team on the road today.  Remember what I watch.  Points against, turnovers, and team fouls.  Louisville started out so hot from three (didn’t have a two pointer until less than 3 minutes left in half) that UVA should have been down 20.  But, they kept fouls in check, and had one turnover in the first half, and eventually the system caught up to UL and the UL shots fell back to normalcy.  Mathematics.  UVA’s win on the road against VA Tech was also impressive, although I submit an asterisk since Tech was without their star PG.
• I think Maryland is bi-polar.  Seriously.  They either look like contenders or lay an egg.  I actually have pretty much banned betting on their games, for or against.
• I was wrong about Iowa State.  I really like that team.  But, they dropped a Baylor game at home, and then today dropped a close on at TCU.  These were two statement games, and they kind of blew it.  When they end up drawing Wofford in the first round, they can thank this week for that.
• When people talked about UNC-Duke ticket prices approaching Super Bowl prices, remember we were talking about Super Bowl prices with an Los Angeles fan base involved.
• I seriously almost have 4-5 heart attacks a week when I see a women’s score on the ESPN bottom line and think it is a men’s score.
• Mississippi State and Georgia had the odd ending of the week for a game.  A fan threw a Bulldog toy on the court, and drew a home court technical foul.  Therefore, Mississippi State was able to shoot another free throw and win the game by one.  First of all, not giving the crowd a warning was absurd.  I don’t think you give the tech right away.  Very odd, and maybe the ref had the money line.  Second, I don’t think the fact that BOTH teams were Bulldogs got enough run in the press
• What’s UP, Nevada?  What is happening?  As I write this, you are in a DOG FIGHT at home against Fresno State, and you dropped the game to SDSU earlier this week.  You are not exactly making the doubters get over your mid-major-ness.  You need the seeding, and you are blowing it.
• I was wrong about Nova being back.  They dropped a key game to Georgetown.  I get that they don’t have all the parts they had last year, but they have dropped some really, really odd games this year.
• Mike Leach will teach a course about football and war at Washington State.  There has to be a waiting list for that class.  I would gladly sit in a room a couple hours a week and listen to Leach talk, whether it was planned, educational, or just improv.
• Sadness exists in different forms in betting.  I hate rooting for Duke, but sometimes it makes too much sense.  My sadness today was that I didn’t bet MORE.  I get Zion being out and the Cuse playing the D that would bug Duke in this stage of living without him.  But, do we forget sometimes that Duke has OTHER guys from the McDonald’s team?  They aren’t bad, I hear.  Anyway, you give me Duke minus 6 against the Cuse and expect me not to eat that up?  Sure, it was close for most of the game, but I wasn’t concerned very much during the game.
• Take the UVA loss out of it, and UNC is starting to look like a contender.  Sure, they are one of the best home teams in the land, but they destroyed a VERY solid FSU squad today.
• I am glad I decided to blog during this Texas Tech-KU game, as it is a dismantling.  When Tech is hitting outside shots and getting some calls, they can be scary looking.  Plus, the big hole in the middle and the Vick absence is really starting to show KU’s flaws.  Glad I took Tech minus the four points too.  There is nothing more painful then watching a game you took the wrong side on.
• I understand that LSU has good players.  I understand that they took down UK and Tennessee in the same week.  But, if you ask me, they are one of my prime Big 5 schools destined to be taken down by a mid-major in the early rounds.

UNC DUKE

• Zion being out of the game early obviously hurt Duke, but they weren’t beating UNC Wednesday with or without him if you ask me.
• UNC’s points in the paint in the first half was ridiculous.  When they have their inside game going, they can be scary now that they finally have shooters on that team.
• Watching them try to run clock, guarding a big lead late, was painful.  Come on, Roy.  Reel your kids in.
• Not Nike’s best day, but they can afford a bad day here and there.

NBA

• I admit it.  I spent time with my wife and didn’t watch one single second of the All Star Game, and slept fine that night.
• I will look to break down the second half of the NBA season in the coming weeks.  Not today.
• Can you imagine the playoffs without LeBron?  Can you imagine if they sneak in as an 8 seed and have to play the Warriors the FIRST round?
• Playoff mode has been “activated” for LeBron though, and there was no way I wasn’t taking him against the Rockets plus three points after announcing that.  Coming back from NINETEEN down though was sort of ridiculous.
• If you haven’t read the Tim Donaghy betting article, please read it.  Fascinating stuff, if you ask me.
• Melo still doesn’t have a job, and that makes me kind of happy in some weird way.
• Buddy Hield would be his house on the playoff chances for the Kings.  I love optimism.  For now, I will just say you would be doing well by taking the Kings plus the points in their games, especially at home.
• DeMarcus Cousins does not like college.  We get it.
• Classy, Toronto fans.  Way to give DeRozan TWO ovations during his return.
• OKC-Utah had a 148-147 game the other night.  That is like 1980-ish scores.
• The Warriors are smart.  When they decide to lose, they don’t even show up.  I am an expert on betting ON them when they decide to lay an egg.
• My buddy asked me what I thought of when I realized that Jeremy Lin still had an NBA job.  I replied that it made me happy like when I hear a one hit wonder band from the 80’s.  I remembered liking the song, don’t buy in to the quality of the song, but I sing along and it makes me happy for some reason.

MLB

• Manny Machado is now a Padre.  Their 40 year rebuilding project might be over.  One man doesn’t change a team that much, but their finances are in order, and you have to make your move at some point.  Plus, it IS the best domestic city in the States.
• I feel like pitch clocks in baseball is kind of like foot faults in tennis.
• Bruce Bochy will retire after this year.  Not sure managers get a “farewell tour,” but I guess he is putting his name in that hat.
• So, I guess talking trash to Trevor Bauer on Twitter DOES get his attention.

NHL

• You should Google Justin Williams and “head.”  He scored a goal with his head this week.  True story.
• I feel like if a sentence says “first time since Mario Lemieux,” the following words demand respect.  Nikita Kucherov is the fastest to 100 points since Mario.  One hit wonder or not, that is pretty stellar.

MISCELLANEOUS

• I don’t care what you say, Tiger Woods scoring low is EXCITING.
• I kind of was waiting for Tiger Woods to be another person at that Asian Spa to take over the Robert Kraft headline.
• An Italian soccer club got down to seven players and lost 20-0.  So, in Jim Rome speak for comparing soccer to American football so we understand it, that is the same as a football team winning 140-0 (two touchdowns per goal).
• Some things won’t die or go away.  Of COURSE, Rick Pitino’s team won the Greek league title.  That would just be too imperfect if that didn’t happen.
• They did not turn right during the Daytona 500.  Nothing crazy.
• The accomplishments of Serena Williams are some of the best ever.  But, her being ranked in the top 10 already for the first time since giving birth is right up there.
• When they announced that fighting with light sabers was officially a sport now, I just got confused about one thing.  When writing the verb of that sport, are you saying people are light saber…ing?
• The PGA has approved shorts for Pro-Am’s and practice rounds.  How did that JUST happen?
• Tony Romo will play the Byron Nelson PGA event.  And although it will sadden me if he does well as that means an individual made it pro in TWO sports, I will be rooting for him, and so will you probably.
• Lionel Messi now has FIFTY hat tricks.  He has freaking scored THREE goals in professional play FIFTY times.  That is sort of absurd.

THIS AND THAT (pop culture, Fillerbuster thoughts in quick hitter fashion and usually when I get a theme):

• After my post Red Rocks jam session last week, I have decided I definitely need to play my piano twice a week.  Mandatory.  I need to stop making rusty excuses every time and have a plan.
• I was told that Bird Box was a good enough movie that I would forget that I absolutely hated Sandra Bullock.  I didn’t find that the case.  My hatred of her overrode the quality of the movie.  It was ok.  Watchable, but don’t understand people raving about it.
• Lindsey went to bed last weekend and Waiting was on the tube.  STILL a great movie that ALL non-industry people should see.  It will make them rethink sending back their steak.
• Oooooh.  I think we are between bowling and this for the theme right now.  Last Sunday morning, The Edge was on.  What a UNDERRATED movie.  I have no idea A) how it wasn’t appreciated more and B) how it doesn’t touch your soul about what you have done in life.  It has conspiracy, survival, animals, pretty scenery, decent acting, a good plot, good action scenes, etc.  It has it all.  I don’t understand people who don’t like that movie.
• Bill Walton is going off.  Wow.  Love him.
• We have two places within a stone’s throw away.  When we walk somewhere it is Billy’s Inn or Scratch Burrito.  I would highly recommend both, but Scratch Burrito is a hidden treasure.  I might be hooked on their quesadilla with pork green chili.
• Restaurant week has arrived, and my wife, the restaurant expert, will have me involved.  She showed me the Max’s Wine Dive menu.  Deviled eggs and mac and cheese.  Come on.  That is heaven.
• The new season of Barry is approaching, and you should definitely watch the first season if you have somehow missed that boat.  It is a brilliant combination of murder, humor, sarcasm, and plot twists.  Get on it, folks.
• I never claim to be in the know for super hero stuff.  But, I am missing something.  Captain Marvel is a chick in the new movie coming out?  I get woman power and all that jazz, but I am confused a little.
• I hear that Trump might be a Russian asset.  That means I can start selling you on No Way Out, another highly underrated movie during my lifetime.
• Bernie is running again?  I guess those bumper stickers still on cars are NOT being wasted.  I thought they were still just hanging on.
• I am very immature for my age, but when I think about Oregon making the voting age 16 years old, I get very scared about where life is going.
• I started swimming again this week before work, and I have to say I arrive at work ready to run through a wall.  Love that start to the day.  As long as people don’t ask our lane to circle.  That is grade school swim team stuff.
• I think of so many things when I swim.  I just don’t have my blog list then.
• On Wednesday, I got free bagels and free pizza.  Ice Cube would have been happy.  It was a good day.
• I was going to track all of my reps and sets in my fitness resurgence, but decided that is for suckers and exhausting.  I know what I did the last workout.
• In my new bracelet love, I have decided that I am recruiting bracelets for a cause now.  Not sure what my passionate causes are, but I have a feeling they might be tied to whichever bracelet I think is the coolest.  “Nice bracelet, man.”  “Yup, I am really into saving the red foxes in Canada.”
• Since getting international accounts, the most dangerous thing is that I have to fight off doing work when they are replying at 8pm at night.
• A teenager fell off a bridge taking a selfie.  I assume his friends will never run out of teasing material now.
• The Samsung Fold phone MIGHT make me switch from my Pixel.
• Nah.  Probably not.  I think those fancy functions are cool, but they kind of scare me too oddly.
• Thursday is still the best day of the week because it has two hours of Seinfeld on when I get home from work.
• I haven’t had time to prospect at work in three weeks.  Very busy.  I find it funny that I FINALLY had an hour the other day.  Five emails, one hit and one demo.  I love finding stuff at my job.
• We went to see How To Train A Dragon Friday night.  Solid movie.  One of my favorite things about my wife is that she LOVES cartoon movies, and I am always game for the more fun ones.  Dragons are cool.  The dragons in the movie resemble our cats a little too much.  Nice white female one, feisty black male one.  It reminded me of the Rambo trilogy.  The first was for himself, the second for his country, and the third for his friend.  In the Dragon movies, the first was for himself, the second was for his mom, and this one is for love.
• I love Shark Tank.  It is sales related, idea oriented, and gives me joy.  But, it is a two way street.  It also makes me sad that I didn’t think of these simple ideas.  I watched a recent one where the people made an edible casing to their protein shake.  That is freaking brilliant.  Dammit.
• My end is coming.  It will be by my only real fear.  Bees.  They just found again the largest known bee ever.  See you a couple of years, big bee.  The bumble bee that stopped me from taking out our family’s recyclables still haunts me.  Want me to scream like a girl?  Put a bee in my house and don’t tell me where it is.  I would but a hotel room.  I almost wrecked my car once in the mountains when a bee flew in my car and I didn’t know where it was.  I was the car on the side of the mountain with all doors and windows open.  Had to look weird to passers by.
• Las Vegas got snow.  Not like you can plan a trip around that, and definitely wouldn’t hit the pool during the afternoon during that trip, but I would like to see that.  Dammit.
• Everyone’s job has weird rituals that have no explanation.  One of my job’s is that we move people literally one desk over for strategic reasons.
• If you are in the Sloan’s Lake neighborhood, stop by Tap and Burger and the short bartender is Lisa.  She is the best, and always makes our visit better.
• If you DO go there and like IPA’s, the Stanky Cape Man is one of the best IPA’s I have had in my life.
• I think one of the bracelets I will get is one that says “Pay It Forward.”  That is one of my favorite lines ever.
• I played Spit last night with Lindsey’s friend, Nicolette.  It brought back memories of being at Georgetown pool, it raining outside, my parents dropping me off for the whole day, so we had to play that card game for hours and hours.
• I sent a birthday card to an old neighbor of mine who I spent HOURS hanging with.  Two yards over.  Aunt May.  She sent me the most adorable card in reply.  More memories.
• FnG is a hidden treasure for food, drink, and atmosphere.  Go there if in the Highlands.
• I think I might watch the movie Alpha tonight.  Feels like a dog movie night.
• (all else included on site)

TWEET OF THE WEEK:

THE BEST WORKOUT SONG EVER FOR THIS WEEK:

And newcomer find this week:

Save yourself

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

‘We‘re all put to the test… but it never comes in the form or at the point we would prefer, does it?’ Hopkins in The Edge

LINKS TO SAVE YOU TIME IN LIFE:

BY THE NUMBERS:

311

210

0

1021

50

1:28

6

THIS WEEK’S LIST:

Most underrated movies in my opinion (not a big earnings, big actors in, quality)

1. Rounders
2. The Edge
3. No Way Out
4. The Score
5. Spy Game
6. Sneakers
7. The Recruit

THE RIDDLE:

$15 Venmo

When I worked on a movie production set, what famous people did: I drive to set, watch the dogs for, and babysit for?

CLOSING:

This blog is not killing a bear.  This blog is just writing.  But, one day I will do something unequivocal.  It may be running away from a swarm of killer bees, but it will come.  I get the feeling that time is coming.  I can totally see myself wanting to climb Everest, or swim the English Channel or something.  Good luck to you in finding your unequivocal feat.  Let’s kill a man-eating bear.  Yeah.

For the record, The Edge beat out bowling by a nose.

That’s it for today.  Hope you enjoyed or are at least more informed.  Remember two things.  First, feed yourself, feed your family, but always, always remember to…feed the wolf.  Second,  if you can’t spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker.  Will I blog again?  That is a CLOWN question, bro. 

PICS from my Pixel:

None this week from my phone except for this one. When you start the trend in finding an air guitar, some fun people just might join you. Friend of Linds who IS a rock star and had us over, where some games and karaoke might have occurred-life is too short to need an audience…

And, of course, the bear.

And, in case you care about what I threw back in the pond, here you go…