Bulls vs. Celtics...

I don't know how many of you follow basketball, but this first round series between the Bulls and Celtics is easily one of the greatest playoff series I have seen in my entire life. 5 of the 6 games have come down to the last second. 5 of 6. When I say the last second, I don't mean figuratively. I mean like the last possible second. I never thought I would say this, but how great was Joachim Noah tonight? I have hated this kid along with most dudes that came out of Florida. I hate his hair, his face and his silly mustache. But I love this kid's heart. Everyone is playing with so much passion and fire it reminds of everything I love about the NBA. It's like March Madness only everyone is really really good. And that's why this series is so great. People playing their hearts out.














Tonight was the highlight of the series. A triple overtime thriller in Chicago with the Bulls down 3-2 in the series. If you missed it, I'm sure it'll be on ESPN Classic tomorrow, just like game 4 was the next day. It really gives meaning to the phrase 'instant classic.'

Towards the end of the regular season the Pistons were jockeying for playoff positioning with the Bulls and the 76ers. We played the Bulls in our second to last game and if we had beaten them we would probably be playing Boston right now and would have most likely lost in 5 or 6. I'm so happy the Bulls beat us that game, because as nice as it would have been to win a single playoff game this year, nothing can compare to this series. My only hope is that game 7 never ends. After this round, depending on who wins, it looks like it'll be the Cavs vs whoever wins this series and that should be a great series to watch. Just like the Cavs / Lakers series will be (or possibly Denver if they keep playing this good).

The only thing that sucks about this is that I really only have 2 guy friends who I can watch basketball with and they both live on the complete opposite side of town so I've been watching these thrillers by myself which kind of blows because from the neighbors view, I'm just some crazy dude jumping up and down, screaming and running around my apartment like a deranged psychopath. I'm definitely not watching game 7 here alone. Tune in Saturday night and I promise you will watch one of the best basketball games of your life (I hope).

As always, go big or go home. See you in May.

-M, p, z & shredder

Swine Flu...

Clearly I'm no disease specialist, but is it just me or is this whole Swine Flu craze a little ridiculous. Maybe it's been blown a little bit out of proportion. Maybe? If you ask me, an "epidemic" needs to happen to more than just 20 people who have been infected across the country, only one of whom was hospitalized. I was reading an article yesterday where someone referred to it as pandemic, which is completely outrageous. You know why this has killed people in Mexico? Because people in Mexico get sick, and either can't afford to get to a hospital or don't go to one and unfortunately, they die. It's sad and tragic but it's not an epidemic. The people that were infected here in the U.S. were treated and are fine.

Now I'd like to point out that not only am I a not a disease specialist but I actually know nothing about diseases and all that can come about from them. But from what I understand, a common flu virus had babies with an Avian flu virus inside a pig, and out came a baby Swine Flu. Why is it scaring the sh*t out of people? People are going crazy. Maybe mass hysteria is a good thing. Maybe it's actually the only way to keep people safe and inside their homes. Maybe if the media talk about it enough and scares enough people, the Flu will go away. I actually don't know, but it could be right. Scare tactics work very well, just ask the GOP.

I look at it this way: people go to Africa despite the highest cases of Malaria and a multitude of other much scarier diseases, but they're afraid of this? And I really don't mean to make light of the fact that it has killed 152 people in Mexico, I'm just saying let's wait a little while before we start branding things epidemics. Let's wait just a minute before people start running for the hills with surgical masks on like we're in China running away from SARS. It's probably just an imaginary virus concocted by the Beef or Poultry industry to get back at the Pork industry for pwning them on Easter.

I'm out. Go big or go home.

-M, p, z & shredder

Random Thoughts...

First, as many of you probably already know, the Pistons are done. Donezo. The franchise as we know it will never be the same. Without getting into it too much, this has been the most frustratingly terrible season in my entire life. I remember back in the mid nineties when we went through our teal phase and only won 19 games in 95, but this was another level of pure crap. Those days we just flat out sucked. We had nobody until Grant Hill came along and opened things up for us. This year was a bunch of overpaid arrogant b*tches that embarrassed fans like myself every time they stepped on the court. I'm hoping next year will be different, but with Curry most likely still at the helm, it'll be hard to change. So long A.I. So long Rasheed. I'm also hoping this is so long to Tayshaun, Amir and Maxiell and hello to Bosh, Boozer, Odom or anyone who can shoot and someone who can be a leader. I hope Rip stays. Trading him makes sense, but it would kill me if he goes. I hope McDyess signs with a contender like the Cavs or the Lakers or even the Celtics. This season broke my heart.

Second, it was 90+ degrees yesterday. While that's all well and good in July, it's April. This is getting out of hand. It was a nice reprieve from the rain, but I would have been happy with 75 and sunny. I'm a huge fan of spring and love watching April showers turn into May flowers, but here in nyc, it goes straight from winter to summer. Oh well, nothing to cry about I suppose.

Lastly, the Lions drafted Georgia QB Matt Stafford with the number 1 pick in the draft. It seems like we have had a lot of number 1 picks and most of them are no longer on our team and a few of them are no longer in the league. I can't remember the last time we didn't take a QB or a WR with our first pick. I'm hoping that Stafford can be the guy who rights the ship. I hope he can be the face of the franchise for years to come. I hope that Culpepper does not get to start the season, but I'm not sure Stafford is ready to step in and get to work. All I know is that we are coming off the worst season in the history of the NFL and if something good doesn't happen to Detroit and Ford soon, we're in trouble.

At least we still have the Wings. Go big or go home....

-M, p, z & shredder

Turtle Power...

Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of the original comics for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the city pulled no stops in celebrating. It's days like this that I'm glad I read the movie news every morning. I awoke to the news that there was going to be a new live action film to be released sometime in 2011 and read on to find out that they waited until the anniversary to announce it. That was good news in and of itself, but then the article went on to mention that if you were lucky enough to live in the Manhattan area, that there would be a celebration of sorts downtown.















The Empire State Building was lit up in 'shell-tastic green' to mark the occasion and there was a free screening of the original movie downtown opening Tribeca's outdoor 'drive-in' movie series. Just east of ground zero, right next to the Hudson river, was a courtyard filled with TMNT power. There was a van made to replicate the one driven in the cartoon along with face panting, free popcorn and a lot of random karate moves on stage before the movie. It was pretty much the coolest thing I've ever done in the city. Luckily I had a friend there who was very much in the spirit of things and even made us eye-headband-mask things (you know what I mean) so I didn't feel like a huge dork.
















I actually had a great time. I don't often tout this city as a place that exceeds (or even meets) my expectations of what I'm looking for in a place to live, but last night showed me one of the great things that really would only happen in ny. I think my favorite part of the night was either when everyone cheered during one of Casey Jones' awesome lines, or the 6 year old kid in front of us who would stand up and fight the air during all the fight scenes. He kicked the air's ass.

That's all for now. As always, go big or go home.

-M, p, z & shredder

Uppercut...

So last night I had this dream. This dude and I were getting into an argument and he kept talking and talking and wouldn't shut up. So finally we go our separate ways and do our own thing. At this point in the dream I think I was skateboarding down a mountain for no good reason other than I didn't have my snowboard on me. I remember after getting down to the bottom of the mountain and getting into the lodge, there were a ton of people there celebrating my great feat of skating down this mountainside. So anyway this guy is there again and he just starts talking shit again. So finally I guess we had had enough and he punched me twice and it was so fast that it slowed down matrix style, and I moved to the side for both of them and when then I countered by punching him as hard as I could right in the stomach...

And then I woke up, jaw-dropped in pain, because I had just punched the side of my wardrobe. I don't remember if I have ever posted pictures, but my room is tiny. I sleep on a fold out couch because when I fold it out it covers all of the available space I have. So anyway, I'm literally right next to my wardrobe (I'm not saying that to be cool, I just don't have a closet so I actually have a wardrobe) and my fist is clenched right against it. And my knuckles are scraped to sh*t. I think I listened to too much Eminiem yesterday....

Go big.

-M, p, z & shredder

Like This...

You know that feature on facebook where you can 'like this' posting or comment or whatever. They really need to make a 'hate this' button. I'm sick of people taking quizzes that fill up my home page. That's great, you're most like Gargamel from the Smrufs. I don't care. And the thing is that if I try and delete the one item, I pretty much have to block all feeds from that person. I don't accept friend requests from people I don't want to be friends with so I have no reason to block anyone. But this is getting out of hand. That and also instead of becoming a 'fan' of something, you need to be able to become an 'enemy' of something. There are people and groups that I hate, and I would love to become an enemy.

So the Pistons suck. Which has been obvious for about 6 months now. I can understand that we suck, but does that mean we can't try? It's embarrassing. It's not fair. I'd kill to put on a Pistons uniform and dive after a loose ball, and these dudes are getting paid millions and they already quit on the season. It's infuriating.




I haven't watched tv in a long time so I really don't know what is going on out there. Are shows done for the season? Aside from keeping up with Friday Night Lights (watch it on hulu please!!) I haven't watched anything all season. Anyway, I guess I have nothing to say really. Sorry. Hope this sufficiently distracted you for 3 minutes. Go big...

-M, p, z & shredder

Playoffs Baby...

If you're fan of basketball, now's the best time of the year. Granted this is sure to be the earliest end to the Pistons season in 9 years, but whatever. After they lose, I'm rooting for Portland. It's really the best time of the year to be a Detroit fan. Not only have the tigers started, but the Pistons and Wings are in the playoffs, and the Wings have a great shot at going the distance. Osgood is ridiculous. If you don't like hockey and think it's absurd (like I used to) just watch Osgood tend goal. He's insane. I'm getting old and have trouble following the puck on tv, I was actually a fan of the blue highlight that purists hated, and I have no idea how this guy can block some of the shots he does. I can barely hit a softball and this guy is just crazy with his coordination.



Chicago can beat Boston. I feel so bad for Garnett. I can't think of anyone who plays with as much passion day in and day out as this guy and for him to be injured and watch this from the sidelines hurts. You hate to see things like that happen to people who try hard (unlike every single Piston who seem disinterested and apathetic).

Anyways, that's all for now. Go big.

-M, p, z & shredder

Zoobesucherin...

Call me callous but I have zero sympathy/tolerance for people who try and do dumb sh*t at zoos. Last year was the guy who was f*cking around with the tiger which sadly ended with the tiger being killed. Then, more recently, was the guy who tried to get into the panda bear exhibit because he wanted to hug the bear (though honestly, who can blame him?).

Today we find the crazy lady who jumped into a polar bear exhibit at the Berlin zoo. She was mauled. Of course. What did she think was going to happen? That she would pet them? That she would give one of them a coke and everything would be 'all good' and they would chat the day away? Listen, I'm on the fence in the first place about zoos. On one hand they present a great way to learn about animals and see them first hand when people might not otherwise get the chance. Hopefully it promotes a positive view on how precious animals are and teaches people to respect them as being as worthy of life as any of us. On the other hand, I hate the fact that these animals are taken out of their natural habitat and have to sit in cages or glass boxes all day long, never to return to their wild habitat. It seems cruel and archaic. Haven't we progressed beyond capturing exotic animals just so we can take pictures of them? Regardless of what I think or feel, these animals are here against their will, and this is what happens.





It might be sort of sad and sadistic that I laugh every time she falls. Haha. I can't help myself.

I'm back to NYC Monday so next post will probably be tuesday-ish. Have a good Masters Sunday. Go big...

-M, p, z & shredder

Amen Corner...On My Phone...

For you golf fans out there, today is the start of the best weekend of the year: The Masters. The greatest golf tournament on the face of the planet (aside from my annual weekend up north with my boys). 4 days of glorious golf on probably the most beautiful and inspiring course in the country (plus they don't allow women to be members so there's another incredible bonus). I have been playing and following golf for 13 years now. It's kind of insane that I'll entering my 14th season of golf because when I was younger there is really nothing more boring than even thinking about golf let alone watching it for 6 hours a day on tv.

So anyways, one thing that sucks about it is that coverage doesn't start til later afternoon, and even then sometimes you're busy either in class or at work or running errands or what have you. But this year, technology has done it again. Since I am neither gainfully employed nor in class these days, the worst that could happen is I have to make a run to the grocery store. But have no fear, if I leave my apartment I can now watch live coverage of the Masters on my iPhone. If you love golf so much that you don't want to miss a second of coverage, yeah, there's an app for that. Amen Corner, the roller coaster 3 holes at Augusta, are broadcast without interruption on my phone.

As much as I love this app and now can't live without it, I wonder - do we really need to continue developing new technology? Isn't this enough now? I was fine before all of this. I was fine when I was 8 and still listened to casette tapes. I was fine in high school when 'mobile phone' meant that huge box in my car that we called the moible command unit because it looked more like something you would put on your back in Vietnam to call for an air strike. With each new thing that comes out I find myself wondering how I lived my life without it, and I realized the only inventions to come along in my lifetime that truly benefit my life are CDs, digital cameras, and email. And of these the only one I could not live without are CDs. Remember in high school when you had to call people on the phone and you couldn't use facebook or email or text them? Remember having to call someone of the opposite sex? That was scary. Now everything is so simple. Life was probably better for all this stuff. It reminds me of this Louis CK bit:



Anyways, I've got to get back to watching live tv on my cell phone that also lets me play games, send emails, take pictures, listen to music, find restaurants, make sure my shelves are level, give me directions, show me a satellite picture of where I'm standing, read the paper, tell me when the next A train is coming, show me weather radar and webcam with my cousin in India. It also makes long distance telephone calls...

I'm out. Go big.

-M, p, z & shredder

Iowa...

Some good news finally about gay marriage but who would have thought it would pass in Iowa and not Cali? I love that this happened in the midwest. One thing I hate about being out in NYC or LA is that people think everyone in the midwest is a redneck with a truck, a shotgun and no moral compass. We may be truck driving, shotgun wielding rednecks, but for the most part we're pretty progressive. Gay marriage, legalizing pot (hopefully soon), nature/great lake conservation, etc. You probably won't find any people more willing to go green than out here where we stand to gain the most benefit from it. Not that I'm for ethanol as a replacement, because it's a pretty bad idea. My point is that for all the 'rednecks' living out here, there are a lot more of the conservative right living out there. Of course we have our fair share of terrible-ness, but progress is progress.

North Korea is getting scarier by the day. I wish people would get some balls and just do something. I know that Kim's really got no scruples and would do some dastardly sh*t, but really, we have the whole world on our side. President Obama should step up a little more than sending them a strongly worded letter or a somewhat angry speech. Get pissed and tell them to shut it down or the world will boycott anything to do with them. Or send in Delta Force and take them out.




Fast and Furious was amazing. It might be the best in the franchise. It was actually the best any of the movies had done and after a gross of over 100 mil for the weekend, I hope the let Justin Lin make another one. He brought a lot of greatness (and asians) to the series and if you hate the other three movies, then you probably won't like this, but if you were just okay with the other three but love action movies, then this is your flick. It was almost not even about the cars. It had a plot and a storyline and the cars just happened to be how they got around and stuff.

I'm out. Go big.

-M, p, z & shredder

Superman Returns...

Sorry for the extended hiatus, I know you have all been missing me so very much. India was fantastic, I had a lot of things to say about it but that can wait I suppose. Before I left for India, the only thing I wanted was to come back and find out that State was in the Final Four. Luckily India seems to be at the forefront for kick ass cell phone signals and I had service everywhere I went, so I was woken up in the middle of the night to texts after every single victory. I was in Detroit for the morning on Saturday and the atmosphere in the state is ridiculous. Normally MSU hoops plays second fiddle to UofM football in the state, but it seems that getting to this Final Four in Detroit is really having an emotional impact on the entire state. I've never seen so many people forget school alliances and rally around one goal. There's a good chance tonight doesn't end well. As Izzo himself said earlier, "If we're playing well and they're playing well, we're gonna lose." Do I think we're gonna win? Absolutely. But I think regardless, we've gone as far as we can possibly go and this last win would be amazing, but this time it really was more about the journey, because win or lose, after the game people will go back to normal and everything will calm down, but for right now, things are just kind of perfect in this great state.

In other random news related to me, Friday Night Lights was picked up for a 4th and 5th season. I know none of you ever take my advice and watch this show even though you can watch every single episode online for free at nbc.com or hulu, but this is saying something. I'm a huge nerd and I love following stats and numbers for tv and movies, and there is this rating system that Neilsen puts out every week called the cancellation index. Friday Night Lights does terrible in the ratings. It's on in a terrible time slot and up against powerhouses like NCIS and Law & Order (don't ask me why those shows are 'powerhouses' because I'm pretty sure it's the same people who are watching Two and a half Men). Despite the fact that it consistently bombs, the fans are die hard and so is NBC. DirectTV stepped up again and is paying for half of it. Two more 13 episode seasons are on the way and I couldn't be happier. The season finale is this friday so get caught up and watch it. From the beginning. It's worth it.

In news about me, I'm still trying to get a job here in Michigan. People don't seem to know anything though and it's starting to make me mad. No one seems to have any real idea of a time frame for the new studios and even worse, no one seems to know anything about who to talk to to find out a time frame. I'm gonna keep calling around but this is seriously getting ridiculous. I know some of you have been in the same situation of trying to find a job when there really isn't any place to go apply for one, any advice? I need to think out of the box a little.

Okay well, I'll get regular on here again. Hopefully next time I blog it'll be as national champs. Go big...

GO STATE!!!!!!!!!

-M, p, z & shredder